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 B81Brelating 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".
  4. Machines, pumps or pumping installations having flexible working members are classified in groups F04B 43/00 or F04B 45/00[2009.01]
 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
 F04B 1/00 - 
F04B 23/00
Pumps for liquids or for liquid and elastic fluids; Positive-displacement machines for liquids
P:50 F04B 1/00
Multi-cylinder machines or pumps characterised by number or arrangement of cylinders (F04B 3/00 takes precedence; fluid-driven pumps F04B 9/00; control of reciprocating machines or pumps in general F04B 49/00)
 F04B 1/12
·  having cylinder axes coaxial with, or parallel or inclined to, main shaft axis
 F04B 1/20
·  ·  having rotary cylinder block
P:40 F04B 3/00
Machines or pumps with pistons coacting within one cylinder, e.g. multi-stage
P:60 F04B 5/00
Machines or pumps with differential-surface pistons
P:90 F04B 7/00
Piston machines or pumps characterised by having positively-driven valving (with cylinders in star- or fan-arrangement F04B 1/00; with cylinder axes coaxial with, or parallel or inclined to, main shaft axis F04B 1/12)
P:100 F04B 9/00
Piston machines or pumps characterised by the driving or driven means to or from their working members
 F04B 9/02
·  the means being mechanical (with cylinder axes coaxial with, or parallel or inclined to, main shaft axis F04B 1/12)
P:70 F04B 11/00
Equalisation of pulses, e.g. by use of air vessels; Counteracting cavitation
P:80 F04B 13/00
Pumps specially modified to deliver fixed or variable measured quantities (for transferring liquid from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers B67D 5/40)
P:110 F04B 15/00
Pumps adapted to handle specific fluids, e.g. by selection of specific materials for pumps or pump parts
P:120 F04B 17/00
Pumps characterised by combination with, or adaptation to, specific driving engines or motors
 F04B 17/03
·  driven by electric motors  [6]
P:140 F04B 19/00
Machines or pumps having pertinent characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B 1/00-F04B 17/00
P:130 F04B 23/00
Pumping installations or systems (F04B 17/00 takes precedence)
 F04B 25/00 - 
F04B 41/00
Pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids
P:150 F04B 25/00
Multi-stage pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids
P:160 F04B 27/00
Multi-cylinder pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids and characterised by number or arrangement of cylinders (F04B 25/00 takes precedence; control of reciprocating machines or pumps in general F04B 49/00)
 F04B 27/08
·  having cylinders coaxial with, or parallel or inclined to, main shaft axis
 F04B 27/10
·  ·  having stationary cylinders  [6]
 F04B 27/14
·  ·  Control  [6]
P:170 F04B 31/00
Free-piston pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids; Systems incorporating such pumps (muscle-driven pumps in which the stroke is not defined by gearing F04B 33/00; free-piston combustion engines, free-piston gas generators F02B 71/00; systems predominated by prime mover aspects, see the relevant class for the prime mover)
P:180 F04B 33/00
Pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids actuated by muscle power, e.g. for inflating
P:190 F04B 35/00
Piston pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids and characterised by the driving means to their working members, or by combination with, or adaptation to, specific driving engines or motors, not otherwise provided for (predominant aspects of the engines or motors, see the relevant classes)
P:210 F04B 37/00
Pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids and having pertinent characteristics not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B 25/00-F04B 35/00
P:220 F04B 39/00
Component parts, details, or accessories, of pumps or pumping systems specially adapted for elastic fluids, not otherwise provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B 25/00-F04B 37/00 (for controlling F04B 49/00)
 F04B 39/02
·  Lubrication (of machines or engines in general F01M)
 F04B 39/04
·  Measures to avoid lubricant contaminating the pumped fluid
 F04B 39/06
·  Cooling (of machines or engines in general F01P); Heating; Prevention of freezing
 F04B 39/08
·  Actuation of distribution members
 F04B 39/10
·  Adaptation or arrangement of distribution members
 F04B 39/12
·  Casings (casings for machines or engines in general F16M); Cylinders; Cylinder heads; Fluid connections
 F04B 39/14
·  Provisions for readily assembling or disassembling
 F04B 39/16
·  Filtration; Moisture separation
P:200 F04B 41/00
Pumping installations or systems specially adapted for elastic fluids (F04B 31/00, F04B 35/00 take precedence)
 F04B 43/00 - 
F04B 45/00
Machines or pumps having flexible working members
P:30 F04B 43/00
Machines, pumps, or pumping installations having flexible working members (pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for elastic fluids F04B 45/00)
 F04B 43/02
·  having plate-like flexible members, e.g. diaphragms (F04B 43/12 takes precedence)  [3]
 F04B 43/06
·  ·  Pumps having fluid drive
 F04B 43/12
·  having peristaltic action
P:20 F04B 45/00
Pumps or pumping installations having flexible working members and specially adapted for elastic fluids
P:10 F04B 47/00
Pumps or pumping installations specially adapted for raising fluids from great depths, e.g. well pumps (by using positive or negative pressurised fluid medium acting directly on the liquid to be pumped F04F 1/00)
P:230 F04B 49/00
Control of, or safety measures for, machines, pumps, or pumping installations, not otherwise provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B 1/00-F04B 47/00
 F04B 49/02
·  Stopping, starting, unloading, or idling control (controlled electrically F04B 49/06)  [6]
 F04B 49/04
·  Regulating by means of floats (F04B 49/02 takes precedence)  [6]
 F04B 49/06
·  Control using electricity (regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B 49/04)
 F04B 49/08
·  Regulating by delivery pressure
 F04B 49/10
·  Other safety measures
 F04B 49/12
·  by varying the length of stroke of the working members  [6]
 F04B 49/16
·  by adjusting the capacity of dead spaces of working chambers  [6]
 F04B 49/18
·  by changing the effective cross-section of the working surface of the piston  [6]
 F04B 49/20
·  by changing the driving speed (controlled electrically F04B 49/06)  [6]
 F04B 49/22
·  by means of valves (F04B 49/02 takes precedence)  [6]
P:0 F04B 51/00
Testing machines, pumps, or pumping installations
P:240 F04B 53/00
Component parts, details or accessories not provided for in, or of interest apart from, groups F04B 1/00-F04B 23/00 or F04B 39/00-F04B 47/00  [6]
 F04B 53/10
·  Valves; Arrangement of valves  [6]