F
SECTION F — MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
 F01 - 
F42

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. Mmachines 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

        The principal classifying characteristic of the subclass is that of genera of apparatus, of which there are three possible:

        Machines; engines; pumps.

        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.

        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.

        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 following table:

It is seen from this table that:

  
WEAPONS; BLASTING
 F41
WEAPONS
 F41

Note(s)

  1. This class covers also means for practice and training which may have aspects of simulation, e.g. in apparatus for so-called "military games", although simulators are generally covered by class G09[4]
  2. In this class, the following terms or expressions are used with the meanings indicated:
    • "smallarm" means a firearm which is generally held with one or both hands for firing, but this term also includes a light machine-gun which may be supported on a tripod or the like during firing; [5]
    • "gun" means any weapon having a barrel and a trigger or firing mechanism for projecting a missile; it may be a piece of ordnance or a smallarm. It may use combustible or explosive propellant charges, air pressure, electromagnetism or other propulsive forces; [5]
    • "revolver-type gun" means a gun having a revolving drum magazine, the chambers of which are used successively as firing chamber; [5]
    • "revolver" means a revolver-type pistol; [5]
    • "semi-automatic firearm" means a firearm from which one shot is fired after actuation of the trigger and which then returns to a condition for firing a subsequent shot upon renewed actuation of the trigger;
    • "automatic firearm" means a firearm which will continue firing so long as the initial firing pressure is maintained on the trigger;
    • "sighting" means bringing into visual coincidence a direction defined by a so-called "sighting" device with the direction of a target;
    • "aiming" means bringing a weapon to a direction differing from the sighting direction by corrections in order that the projectile may hit the target;
    • "laying" means setting a weapon in the correct position for hitting a target.
  3. Attention is drawn to the definitions of "projectile", "missile" and "rocket" given in Note (2) following the title of class F42[4]
 F41G
WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING (optical aspects thereof G02B)
 F41G 1/00
Sighting devices (for indirect laying of fire F41G 3/16; bombsights F41G 3/24)
 F41G 1/01
·  characterised by the visual combination effect of the respective geometrical forms of fore and rear sight (F41G 1/42 takes precedence)  [5]
 F41G 1/02
·  Foresights
 F41G 1/027
·  ·  with lens  [5]
 F41G 1/033
·  ·  adjustable  [5]
 F41G 1/04
·  ·  Protection means therefor
 F41G 1/06
·  Rearsights
 F41G 1/08
·  ·  with aperture
 F41G 1/10
·  ·  with notch
 F41G 1/12
·  ·  with line or mark other than notch
 F41G 1/14
·  ·  with lens
 F41G 1/16
·  ·  Adjusting mechanisms therefor; Mountings therefor
 F41G 1/17
·  ·  ·  Convertible sights, i.e. sets of two or more sights brought into the sight line optionally  [5]
 F41G 1/18
·  ·  ·  Clicking indicators with spring detents
 F41G 1/20
·  ·  ·  coarse and fine
 F41G 1/22
·  ·  ·  Friction clamps
 F41G 1/24
·  ·  ·  rack-and-pinion; lever; linkwork
 F41G 1/26
·  ·  ·  screw
 F41G 1/28
·  ·  ·  wedge; cam; eccentric
 F41G 1/30
·  Reflecting sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance (reflecting-sights in general G02B)
 F41G 1/32
·  Night sights, e.g. luminescent
 F41G 1/34
·  ·  combined with light source, e.g. spot light
 F41G 1/35
·  ·  ·  for illuminating the target  [5]
 F41G 1/36
·  ·  ·  with infra-red light source
 F41G 1/38
·  Telescopic sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance (telescopic sights in general G02B); Supports or mountings therefor
 F41G 1/387
·  ·  Mounting telescopic sights on smallarms  [5]
 F41G 1/393
·  ·  Mounting telescopic sights on ordnance; Transmission of sight movements to the associated gun  [5]
 F41G 1/40
·  Periscopic sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance (periscopic sights in general G02B); Supports or mountings therefor
 F41G 1/41
·  ·  Mounting periscopic sights on smallarms  [5]
 F41G 1/42
·  Tube sights; Bar sights
 F41G 1/44
·  Spirit-level adjusting-means, e.g. for correcting tilt
 F41G 1/46
·  for particular applications
 F41G 1/467
·  ·  for bows  [5]
 F41G 1/473
·  ·  for lead-indicating or range-finding, e.g. for use with rifles or shotguns  [5]
 F41G 1/48
·  ·  for firing grenades from rifles
 F41G 1/50
·  ·  for trench mortars
 F41G 1/52
·  ·  for rifles or shotguns having two or more barrels, or adapted to fire different kinds of ammunition, e.g. ball or shot
 F41G 1/54
·  Devices for testing or checking
 F41G 3/00
Aiming means; Laying means (sighting devices F41G 1/00; determining direction, distance or velocity by use of radio or other waves G01S; computers G06; aerials H01Q)
 F41G 3/02
·  using an independent line of sight
 F41G 3/04
·  for dispersing fire from a battery
 F41G 3/06
·  with rangefinder (rangefinders per se G01C)
 F41G 3/08
·  with means for compensating for speed, direction, temperature, pressure, or humidity of the atmosphere (measuring G01)
 F41G 3/10
·  with means for compensating for canting of the trunnions
 F41G 3/12
·  with means for compensating for muzzle velocity or powder temperature
 F41G 3/14
·  Indirect aiming means
 F41G 3/16
·  ·  Sighting devices adapted for indirect laying of fire
 F41G 3/18
·  ·  Auxiliary target devices adapted for indirect laying of fire
 F41G 3/20
·  ·  specially adapted for mountain artillery
 F41G 3/22
·  for vehicle-borne armament, e.g. on aircraft
 F41G 3/24
·  ·  Bombsights
 F41G 3/26
·  Teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying
 F41G 3/28
·  ·  Small-scale apparatus (relief models or maps G09B)
 F41G 3/30
·  ·  Gun-laying apparatus
 F41G 3/32
·  Devices for testing or checking
 F41G 5/00
Elevating or traversing control systems for guns (gun mountings permitting traversing or elevating movement, e.g. gun carriages, F41A 27/00; computers G06)
 F41G 5/02
·  using only mechanical means for remote control
 F41G 5/04
·  using hydraulic means for remote control
 F41G 5/06
·  using electric means for remote control
 F41G 5/08
·  Ground-based tracking-systems for aerial targets
 F41G 5/12
·  acoustically influenced
 F41G 5/14
·  for vehicle-borne guns
 F41G 5/16
·  ·  gyroscopically influenced
 F41G 5/18
·  ·  Tracking systems for guns on aircraft
 F41G 5/20
·  ·  for guns on ships
 F41G 5/22
·  ·  ·  to compensate for rolling or pitching
 F41G 5/24
·  ·  for guns on tanks
 F41G 5/26
·  Apparatus for testing or checking
 F41G 7/00
Direction control systems for self-propelled missiles (flight control B64C, G05D 1/00; self-propelled or guided missiles having direction control systems only installed aboard F42B 15/01; rocket torpedoes F42B 17/00; marine torpedoes or sea-mines having self-propulsion means F42B 19/00; locating by use of radio or other waves G01S; computing aspects G06)
 F41G 7/20
·  based on continuous observation of target position  [3]
 F41G 7/22
·  ·  Homing guidance systems  [3]
 F41G 7/24
·  ·  Beam riding guidance systems (conical-scan beam beacons therefor G01S 1/42)  [3]
 F41G 7/26
·  ·  ·  Optical guidance systems  [3]
 F41G 7/28
·  ·  ·  Radio guidance systems  [3]
 F41G 7/30
·  ·  Command link guidance systems  [3]
 F41G 7/32
·  ·  ·  for wire-guided missiles  [3]
 F41G 7/34
·  based on predetermined target position data  [3]
 F41G 7/36
·  ·  using inertial references  [3]
 F41G 9/00
Systems for controlling missiles or projectiles, not provided for elsewhere
 F41G 9/02
·  for bombing control (bombsights F41G 3/24)
 F41G 11/00
Details of sighting or aiming apparatus; Accessories