B07B - Definition 
Definition statement
This subclass covers:
Apparatus or methods for the separation of solids from solids that include:
- Any sorting or grading of bulk material or loose articles fit to be handled like bulk material which results automatically from the construction of the apparatus and properties of the material or articles, e.g. by a trap opening under an object of a certain minimum weight, by an aperture of graduated size.
- Sorting of articles in so far as the same conditions apply, e.g. sorting of timber by passing it over successively longer openings; the articles may or may not be orientated for the purpose of sorting.
- Sieving, screening, sifting or sorting solid materials using networks, gratings, grids or the like.
- Separating solids from solids that are initially a mixture using apparatus or methods that subject the mixture to a gas current, dispenses the mixture within a gas, carries the mixture on a gas current while it is being separated, or uses a gas current on it to cause separation, including combinations of disparate types of apparatus utilizing gas currents in the separation of solids from solids.
- Other types of apparatus for directly controlled dry method grading or sorting of solid materials in a bulk form or of loose articles that are being handled like solid type bulk material, e.g. grading according to size or weight or using momentum effects.
- Constructional features of screens per se, or screens and their driving mechanisms, which are used in dry or wet separating methods.
- Combinations of disparate types of apparatus or methods for separating solids from solids that applicable to bulk material or to loose articles fit to be handled like bulk material.
- Accessories that are specially adapted for, or arranged in conjunction with, the above types of separating, sorting or grading of bulk material or articles.
Relationship between large subject matter areas
In Section B, the separation of different materials, e.g. of different matter, size, or state, is predominantly found in the following subclasses: B01DB03B, B03CB03D, B04BB04C, B07BB07C.
The classifying characteristics of these subclasses are:
- the physical state of the matter to be separated;
- the principle of the process used;
- particular kinds of apparatus.
The first of these characteristics involves six different aspects, assembled in three groups:
- liquid/liquid or liquid/gas and gas/gas;
- solid/liquid or solid/gas;
- solid/solid.
These subclasses are to be used according to the following general rules:
- B01D is the most general class as far as separation other than solids from solids is concerned.
- Apparatus for separating solids from solids are covered by 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 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 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 B07C.
- It should also be noted that the separation of isotopes of the same chemical element is covered by B01D 59/00, whatever process or apparatus is employed.
Sorting peculiar to particular materials or adapted to a specific purpose may be covered in other classes, see for example the non-exhaustive list of places for special adaptions in the following subsection.
References relevant to classification in this subclass
This subclass does not cover:
Separating isotopes | B01D 59/00 |
Combinations of dry separating apparatus with wet separating apparatus or pneumatic tables | B03B |
Separating solids from solids using pneumatic tables or jigs | B03B 4/00 |
Hand sorting, postal sorting, sorting by switching or other devices actuated in response to detection or measurement of some feature of articles or samples of material | B07C |
Examples of places where the subject matter of this class is covered when specially adapted, used for a particular purpose, or incorporated in a larger system:
Informative references
Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:
Separation in general; solid/gas separation in general | B01D |
Wet separating processes, sorting by processes using fluent material in the same way as liquid | B03 |
Wet separating using liquids | B03B, B03D |
Using wet methods | B03B 7/00 |
Sorting by magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields | B03C |
Centrifuges or vortex apparatus for carrying out physical processes, e.g. | B04 |
Centrifuges | B04B |
Cyclones | B04C |