F
SECTION F — MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  
ENGINES OR PUMPS
 F01 - 
F04

Note(s)

Guide to the use of this subsection (classes F01-F04)

The following notes are meant to assist in the use of this part of the classification scheme.

  1. In this subsection, subclasses or groups designating "engines" or "pumps" cover methods of operating the same, unless otherwise specifically provided for.
  2. In this subsection, the following terms or expressions are used with the meanings indicated:
    • "engine" means a device for continuously converting fluid energy into mechanical power. Thus, this term includes, for example, steam piston engines or steam turbines, per se, or internal-combustion piston engines, but it excludes single-stroke devices. "Engine" also includes the fluid-motive portion of a meter unless such portion is particularly adapted for use in a meter;
    • "pump" means a device for continuously raising, forcing, compressing, or exhausting fluid by mechanical or other means. Thus, this term includes fans or blowers;
    • "machine" means a device which could equally be an engine and a pump, and not a device which is restricted to an engine or one which is restricted to a pump;
    • "positive displacement" means the way the energy of a working fluid is transformed into mechanical energy, in which variations of volume created by the working fluid in a working chamber produce equivalent displacements of the mechanical member transmitting the energy, the dynamic effect of the fluid being of minor importance, and vice versa;
    • "non-positive displacement" means the way the energy of a working fluid is transformed into mechanical energy, by transformation of the energy of the working fluid into kinetic energy, and vice versa;
    • "oscillating-piston machine" means a positive-displacement machine in which a fluid-engaging work-transmitting member oscillates. This definition applies also to engines and pumps;
    • "rotary-piston machine" means a positive-displacement machine in which a fluid-engaging work-transmitting member rotates about a fixed axis or about an axis moving along a circular or similar orbit. This definition applies also to engines and pumps;
    • "rotary piston" means the work-transmitting member of a rotary-piston machine and may be of any suitable form, e.g., like a toothed gear;
    • "cooperating members" means the "oscillating piston" or "rotary piston" and another member, e.g., the working-chamber wall, which assists in the driving or pumping action;
    • "movement of the co-operating members" is to be interpreted as relative, so that one of the "co-operating members" may be stationary, even though reference may be made to its rotational axis, or both may move;
    • "teeth or tooth equivalents" include lobes, projections or abutments;
    • "internal-axis type" means that the rotational axes of the inner and outer co-operating members remain at all times within the outer member, e.g., in a similar manner to that of a pinion meshing with the internal teeth of a ring gear;
    • "free piston" means a piston of which the length of stroke is not defined by any member driven thereby;
    • "cylinders" means positive-displacement working chambers in general. Thus, this term is not restricted to cylinders of circular cross-section;
    • "main shaft" means the shaft which converts reciprocating piston motion into rotary motion or vice versa;
    • "plant" means an engine together with such additional apparatus as is necessary to run the engine. For example, a steam engine plant includes a steam engine and means for generating the steam;
    • "working fluid" means the driven fluid in a pump and the driving fluid in an engine. The working fluid may be in a gaseous state, i.e., compressible, or liquid. In the former case coexistence of two states is possible;
    • "steam" includes condensable vapours in general, and "special vapour" is used when steam is excluded;
    • "reaction type" as applied to non-positive-displacement machines or engines means machines or engines in which pressure/velocity transformation takes place wholly or partly in the rotor. Machines or engines with no, or only slight, pressure/velocity transformation in the rotor are called "impulse type".
  3. In this subsection:
  4. For use of this subsection with a good understanding, it is essential to remember, so far as subclasses F01B, F01C, F01D, F03B, and F04B, F04C, F04D, which form its skeleton, are concerned:
    • the principle which resides in their elaboration,
    • the classifying characteristics which they call for, and
    • their complementarity.
      1. Principle

        This concerns essentially the subclasses listed above. Other subclasses, notably those of class F02, which cover better-defined matter, are not considered here.

        Each subclass covers fundamentally a genus of apparatus (engine or pump) and by extension covers equally "machines" of the same kind. Two different subjects, one having a more general character than the other, are thus covered by the same subclass.

        Subclasses F01B, F03B, F04B, beyond the two subjects which they cover, have further a character of generality in relation to other subclasses concerning the different species of apparatus in the genus concerned.

        This generality applies as well for the two subjects dealt with, without these always being in relation to the same subclasses.

        Thus, subclass F03B, in its part dealing with "machines", should be considered as being the general class relating to subclasses F04B, F04C, and in its part dealing with "engines" as being general in relation to subclass F03C.

      2. Characteristics
        1. The principal classifying characteristic of the subclass is that of genera of apparatus, of which there are three possible:

          Machines; engines; pumps.

        2. As stated above, "machines" are always associated with one of the other two genera. These main genera are subdivided according to the general principles of operation of the apparatus:

          Positive displacement; non-positive displacement.

        3. The positive displacement apparatus are further subdivided according to the ways of putting into effect the principle of operation, that is, to the kind of apparatus:

          Simple reciprocating piston; rotary or oscillating piston; other kind.

        4. Another classifying characteristic is that of the working fluid, in respect of which three kinds of apparatus are possible, namely:

          Liquid and elastic fluid; elastic fluid; liquid.

      3. Complementarity

        This resides in association of pairs of the subclasses listed above, according to the characteristics under consideration in respect of kind of apparatus or working fluid.

        The subclasses concerned with the various principles, characteristics and complementarity are shown in the subsection index below.

It is seen from this index that:

 F01 - 
F04
Subsection index
MACHINES
positive displacement
rotary or oscillating piston
liquid and elastic fluid or elastic fluidF01C
liquid onlyF04C
reciprocating piston or other
liquid and elastic fluid or elastic fluidF01B
liquid onlyF04B
non-positive displacement
liquid and elastic fluid or elastic fluidF01D
liquid onlyF03B
ENGINES
positive displacement
rotary or oscillating piston
liquid and elastic fluid or elastic fluidF01C
liquid onlyF03C
reciprocating piston or other
liquid and elastic fluid or elastic fluidF01B
liquid onlyF03C
non-positive displacement
liquid and elastic fluid or elastic fluidF01D
liquid onlyF03B
PUMPS
positive displacement
rotary or oscillating pistonF04C
reciprocating piston or otherF04B
non-positive displacementF04D
 F04
POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS (portable fire extinguishers with manually-operated pumps A62C 11/00, with power-driven pumps A62C 25/00; charging or scavenging combustion engines by pumps F02B; engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J 41/00; electrodynamic pumps H02K 44/00)
 F04

Note(s)

Combinations of positive-displacement and non-positive-displacement pumps are classified in subclass F04B as a general subclass for pumps, and in subclasses F04C, F04D in respect of matter specific to those subclasses.

 F04B
POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F; crankshafts, crossheads, connecting-rods F16C; flywheels F16F; gearings for interconverting rotary motion and reciprocating motion in general F16H; pistons, piston-rods, cylinders, in general F16J)
 F04B

Note(s)

  1. In this subclass, the following term is used with the meaning indicated:
    • "piston" also covers a plunger.
  2. Attention is drawn to the Notes following the titles of class B81 and subclass B81B relating to "micro-structural devices" and "micro-structural systems". [7]
  3. Attention is drawn to the Notes preceding class F01, especially as regards the definitions of "machines", "pumps", and "positive-displacement".
 F04B
Subclass index
POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS, PUMPS IN GENERAL
General characteristics of machines and pumps
multiple cylinders; single cylinders, pistons coacting in cylinder; differential-surface pistons; flexible working members 1/00; 3/00; 5/00; 43/00
positively-driven distribution members; driving or driven means to or from working members 7/00; 9/00
equalization of pulses, counteracting cavitation 11/00
other characteristics 19/00
Characteristics peculiar to pumps, their adaptations or combinations
delivering measured quantities; handling specific fluids; pumping from great depths 13/00; 15/00; 47/00
associated with specific driving engines 17/00
Other characteristics 19/00
Pumping installations or systems 23/00, 43/00, 47/00
Component parts, details or accessories 53/00
PUMPS FOR ELASTIC FLUIDS
General characteristics
multiple stages; multiple cylinders 25/00; 27/00
free piston; flexible working member; actuation by muscle power 31/00; 45/00; 33/00
driving means 35/00
For pumping from great depths 47/00
Other characteristics; other details or accessories 37/00; 39/00
Pumping installations or systems 41/00, 45/00, 47/00
CONTROL, SAFETY MEASURES; TESTING 49/00; 51/00
COMPONENT PARTS, DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES 53/00

 F04C
ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS (engines F03C); ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
 F04C

Note(s)

Attention is drawn to the Notes preceding class F01, especially as regards the definitions of "machines", "pumps", "positive displacement", "rotary-piston machines", "oscillating-piston machines", "rotary piston", "co-operating members", "movement of co-operating members", "teeth or tooth-equivalents", and "internal axis".

 F04C
Subclass index
MACHINES OR PUMPS
Rotary-piston
general characteristics; non-parallel axes of movement of co-operating members 2/00; 3/00
resiliently-deformable chamber walls; fluid ring 5/00; 7/00
Oscillating-piston 9/00
Combinations or adaptations 11/00, 13/00
Pump installations 11/00
Control; monitoring; safety arrangements 14/00
Other details or accessories 15/00
PUMPS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ELASTIC FLUIDS
Rotary-piston pumps 18/00
Rotary-piston pumps with fluid ring or the like 19/00
Oscillating-piston pumps 21/00
Combinations of two or more pumps, each being of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type; Pumping installations; Multi-stage pumps 23/00
Adaptations of pumps for special use 25/00
Sealing arrangements in rotary-piston pumps 27/00
Control; monitoring; safety arrangements 28/00
Other components parts, details or accessories 29/00

 F04D
NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
 F04D

Note(s)

  1. This subclass covers non-positive-displacement pumps for liquids, for elastic fluids, or for liquids and elastic fluids whether rotary or not having pure rotation.
  2. This subclass does not cover combinations of non-positive-displacement pumps with other pumps, which are covered by subclass F04B, except that the use of such other pumps for priming or boosting non-positive-displacement is covered by this subclass.
  3. Attention is drawn to the Notes preceding class F01, especially as regards the definition of "pump".
 F04D
Subclass index
ROTARY PUMPS FOR LIQUID AND ELASTIC FLUID OR LIQUID ALONE
Kind of flow: radial or helico-centrifugal; axial; circumferential or transverse; other 1/00; 3/00; 5/00; 11/00
For handling specific fluids 7/00
Priming, preventing vapour lock 9/00
Pumping installations or systems; control 13/00; 15/00
ROTARY PUMPS FOR ELASTIC FLUID
Kind of flow: radial or helico-centrifugal; axial; other 17/00; 19/00; 23/00
Involving supersonic speed of fluid 21/00
Pumping installations; control 25/00; 27/00
DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES 29/00
OTHER KINDS OF PUMPS
Pumping liquid and elastic fluid at the same time 31/00
With other than pure rotation 33/00
Wave producers 35/00

 F04F
PUMPING OF FLUID BY DIRECT CONTACT OF ANOTHER FLUID OR BY USING INERTIA OF FLUID TO BE PUMPED (containers or packages with special means for dispensing liquid or semi-liquid contents by internal gaseous pressure B65D 83/14); SIPHONS  [2]
 F04F

Note(s)

  1. Attention is drawn to the Notes preceding class F01.
  2. Combinations of pumps covered by this subclass with other pumps are only classified in this subclass if such other pumps are intended for preliminary pumping for diffusion pumps.
 F04F
Subclass index
PUMPS USING PRESSURE OR FLOW OF ANOTHER FLUID 1/00, 5/00
PUMPS USING NEGATIVE PRESSURE; PUMPS USING INERTIA OF THE FLUID 1/00, 3/00; 7/00
DIFFUSION PUMPS, e.g. WITH FORE PUMPS 9/00
SIPHONS; OTHER PUMPS 10/00; 11/00
JET-PUMP INSTALLATIONS 5/00