The following notes are meant to assist in the use of this part of the classification scheme; they must not be read as modifying in any way the elaborations.
In this sub-section, the separation of different materials, e.g. of different matter, size, or state, is predominantly found in the following subclasses:
Apparatus for separating solids from solids are covered by Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03B when the process concerned is regarded as the equivalent of "washing" in the sense of the mining art, even if such apparatus is a pneumatic one, especially pneumatic tables or jigs. Screens per se are not covered by this subclass but are classified in Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B07B, even if they are being used in a wet process. All other apparatus for the separation of solids from solids according to dry methods are classified in Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B07B.
If the separation takes place as a result of the detection or measurement of some feature of the material or articles to be sorted it is classified in Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B07C.
It should also be noted that the separation of isotopes of the same chemical element is covered by Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B01D 59/00, whatever process or apparatus is employed.
combinations of operations covered by any particular subclass of class Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B21 with operations covered by other classes, e.g. with operations involving removal of material, which are also covered by subclass Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B23P, except that if the operations covered by the other classes are subsidiary to the operations properly covered by a single subclass of Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B21 the combination is classified in that subclass.
Processes of a kind covered by this class but applied to non-metallic materials are classified in this class if they are applicable to metal and cannot be classified fully in another class.
features, specific to machine tools, which relate to a requirement or problem of a nature which is not peculiar to a particular kind of machine tool, e.g. feeding work, which are covered by subclass Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B23Q, although the realisation of these features may differ according to the kind of machine tool concerned. The said subclass covers such features, in general, even if the feature or a specific function, in any particular case, is to some extent peculiar to, or is claimed only for, machine tools designed for one particular operation; only in exceptional cases are such features classified in the subclass for the machine tool concerned. Certain features of this general nature are, however, referred to subclasses relating to particular metal-working operations, especially Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B23B, in which case the subclasses in question are not restricted, in respect of those features, to the kind of machine tool with which they are primarily concerned.
In this class, the following terms or expressions are used with the meanings indicated:
"metal-working" covers the working of other materials unless the context requires otherwise;
"kind of operations" and similar expressions relate to such metal-working operations as boring, drilling, milling and grinding;
"kind of machine" means a machine designed for a particular kind of metal-working operation (e.g. a lathe);
"form of machine" means a machine of a particular kind adapted or arranged for a particular way of working or for particular work, e.g. face-plate lathe, tailstock lathe, turret lathe;
"different machines" covers different forms of machines for performing the same type of metal-working operation, e.g. vertical and horizontal boring machines.
If details, components, or accessories have no essential feature specific to machine tools, the more general class, e.g. Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...F16, takes precedence.
This class does not cover the working of plastics sheet material in a manner analogous to the working of paper, which is covered by class Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B31. [4]
In this class, the following term is used with the meaning indicated:
"plastics" means macromolecular compounds or compositions based on such compounds.
In this class, the following rules apply:
The working of plastics is, as far as possible, classified primarily according to the particular shaping technique used, e.g. in subclass Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B29C. [4]
A product is not classified in this class unless it results from a technique which is covered by this class.
This class covers subject matter restricted to adaptations or associations of handling sheets, webs, or blanks peculiar to paper-working, e.g. bag or box making, machinery.
handling sheets, webs, or blanks of wider applicability, irrespective of whether described or claimed only for paper-working machinery, which is regarded as being of a more comprehensive nature and is covered by Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B65H.
In this class, the following term is used with the meaning indicated:
"paper" covers material worked in a manner analogous to paper, e.g. plastics sheet materials, laminated materials or metal foils.
PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS (reproduction or duplication of pictures or patterns by scanning and converting into electrical signals Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...H04N) [4]
Any machine, apparatus, tool or process is classified in this class in so far as it produces an effect or mark meant to be judged by the eye and in so far as such machine, apparatus, tool or process is not provided for elsewhere. [4]
In this class, the following term is used with the meaning indicated:
"vehicle" means all vehicles except those restricted to one of the following types of vehicles: rail vehicles, waterborne vessels, aircraft, space vehicles, hand carts, cycles, animal-drawn vehicles, and sledges, which are covered by the relevant subclasses of Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B61-B64.
Thus the term "vehicle" includes:
vehicular characteristics which are common to more than one of the above-listed types;
certain characteristics restricted to automobiles, road or cross-country trailers.
The following exceptions to the above should be noted:
subclass Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B60C embraces the connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies in general, and in this respect it is not limited to vehicles;
subclass Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B60M embraces certain power supply equipment for, but external to, any kind of electrically-propelled vehicle;
subclass Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B60T includes brake control systems of general applicability, and in this respect it is not limited to vehicles. It also includes rail-vehicle power-brake systems and some other features of rail-vehicle brake systems.
In this class, the following expression is used with the meaning indicated:
"railway systems" covers:
systems in which trains or individual passenger vehicles or load carriers run on, or are guided by, ground or elevated tracks defined by rails, ropes, cables, or other guiding elements for wheels, rollers, or sliding anti-friction devices (permanently attached to a continuous traction element Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B65G 17/00);
power and free systems of either of the above types in which vehicles, load-carriers, or loads may be selectively coupled to, or uncoupled from, continuous traction members, e.g. cables, chains.
This class covers micro-structural devices or systems, including at least one essential element or formation characterised by its very small size, typically within the range of 10-4 to 10-7 meters, i.e. its significant features can not, in at least one dimension, be completely discerned without the use of an optical microscope. [7]
In this class, the following expressions are used with the meaning indicated: [7]
"micro-structural devices" covers: [7]
micro-mechanical devices comprising movable, flexible or deformable elements; and [7]
three-dimensional structures without movable, flexible or deformable elements, comprising microformations designed to accomplish an essential structural function for interacting with their environment, as opposed to purely electronic or chemical functions, regardless of whether the structures are combined with micro-electronic devices or formed from specific materials; [7]
"micro-structural systems" covers: [7]
systems of cooperating micro-structural devices; and [7]
micro-electro-mechanical or micro-opto-mechanical systems, which combine on a common substrate the specific features of micro-structural devices and electrical or optical components, e.g. for controlling, analysing or signalling the functioning of micro-structural devices. [7]
