|  | B |
SECTION B — PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING

SEPARATING; MIXING

|  | B01 - B09 |
Note(s) 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: Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B01D Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03B, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03C, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03D Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B04B, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B04C, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B07B, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B07C. 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: Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...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 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. The following scheme illustrates the classification according to these rules.

|  | B07 |
SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING (separation in general Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B01D; wet separating processes, sorting by processes using fluent material in the same way as liquid Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03; using liquids Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03B, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03D; sorting by magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high voltage electric fields Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03C; centrifuges or vortex apparatus for carrying out physical processes Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B04; sorting peculiar to particular materials or articles and provided for in other classes, see the relevant classes)

|  | B07B |
SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS BY SIEVING, SCREENING, OR SIFTING OR BY USING GAS CURRENTS; OTHER SEPARATING BY DRY METHODS APPLICABLE TO BULK MATERIAL, e.g. LOOSE ARTICLES FIT TO BE HANDLED LIKE BULK MATERIAL (combinations of dry separating apparatus with wet separating apparatus Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03B; 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 Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B07C)

|  | B07B |
Note(s) This subclass covers: 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, 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.

|  | B07C |
POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING (specially adapted for a specific purpose covered by another class, see the relevant place, e.g. Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...A43D 33/06, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B23Q 7/12)

|  | B07C |
Note(s) This subclass covers sorting of materials or articles by hand or by devices actuated, manually or automatically, as a result of inspection or of detection or measurement of some feature of the material or articles.