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
 F01
MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL (combustion engines F02; machines for liquids F03, F04); ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
 F01B
MACHINES OR ENGINES, IN GENERAL OR OF POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT TYPE, e.g. STEAM ENGINES (of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F01C; of non-positive-displacement type F01D; internal-combustion aspects of reciprocating-piston engines F02B 57/00, F02B 59/00; crankshafts, crossheads, connecting-rods F16C; flywheels F16F; gearings for interconverting rotary motion and reciprocating motion in general F16H; pistons, piston-rods, cylinders, for engines in general F16J)
 F01B

Note(s)

  1. This subclass covers, with the exception of the matter provided for in subclasses F01C-F01P:
    • engines for elastic fluids, e.g. steam engines;
    • engines for liquids and elastic fluids;
    • machines for elastic fluids;
    • machines for liquids and elastic fluids.
  2. Attention is drawn to the Notes preceding class F01, especially as regards the definitions of "steam" and "special vapour".
 F01B
Subclass index
MACHINES OR ENGINES
With reciprocating pistons characterised by
number or relative disposition of cylinders 1/00
disposition of cylinder axes relative to main shaft 3/00, 5/00
pistons reciprocating in same or coaxial cylinders; piston-main-shaft connections other than covered above 7/00, 1/00; 9/00
no rotary main shaft 11/00
rotary or other movement of cylinders 13/00, 15/00
uniflow principle 17/00
With positive displacement of flexible-wall type 19/00
COMBINATIONS OR ADAPTATIONS OF MACHINES OR ENGINES 21/00, 23/00
REGULATING, CONTROLLING, SAFETY MEANS; STARTING 25/00; 27/00
OTHER CHARACTERISTICS; DETAILS, ACCESSORIES 29/00; 31/00
P:110 F01B 1/00
Reciprocating-piston machines or engines characterised by number or relative disposition of cylinders or by being built-up from separate cylinder-crankcase elements (F01B 3/00, F01B 5/00 take precedence)  [2]
P:80 F01B 3/00
Reciprocating-piston machines or engines with cylinder axes coaxial with, or parallel or inclined to, main shaft axis
P:90 F01B 5/00
Reciprocating-piston machines or engines with cylinder axes arranged substantially tangentially to a circle centred on main shaft axis
P:70 F01B 7/00
Machines or engines with two or more pistons reciprocating within same cylinder or within essentially coaxial cylinders (in opposite arrangement relative to main shaft F01B 1/00)
P:130 F01B 9/00
Reciprocating-piston machines or engines characterised by connections between pistons and main shafts and not specific to groups F01B 1/00-F01B 7/00 (connections disengageable during idling F01B 31/00)
P:20 F01B 11/00
Reciprocating-piston machines or engines without rotary main shaft, e.g. of free-piston type (engines combined with pumps F01B 23/00)
P:100 F01B 13/00
Reciprocating-piston machines or engines with rotating cylinders in order to obtain the reciprocating-piston motion (machines or engines of flexible-wall type F01B 19/00)  [2]
P:120 F01B 15/00
Reciprocating-piston machines or engines with movable cylinders other than provided for in group F01B 13/00 (with one piston within another F01B 7/00; with movable cylinder sleeves for working-fluid control F01L)
P:60 F01B 17/00
Reciprocating-piston machines or engines characterised by use of uniflow principle
P:50 F01B 19/00
Positive-displacement machines or engines of flexible-wall type
P:40 F01B 21/00
Combinations of two or more machines or engines (F01B 23/00 takes precedence; combinations of two or more pumps F04; fluid gearing F16H; regulating or controlling, see the relevant groups)
P:30 F01B 23/00
Adaptations of machines or engines for special use; Combinations of engines with devices driven thereby (F01B 11/00 takes precedence; fluid gearing F16H; aspects predominantly concerning driven devices, see the relevant classes for these devices; regulating or controlling, see the relevant groups)
P:0 F01B 25/00
Regulating, controlling, or safety means (safety means against water hammer or the like in steam engines F01B 31/00; regulating or controlling in general G05)
P:10 F01B 27/00
Starting of machines or engines (starting combustion engines F02N)
P:140 F01B 29/00
Machines or engines with pertinent characteristics other than those provided for in main groups F01B 1/00-F01B 27/00 (toy steam engines A63H 25/00)
P:150 F01B 31/00
Component parts, details, or accessories not provided for in, or of interest apart from, other groups (machine or engine casings, other than those peculiar to steam engines, F16M)