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:

  
LIGHTING; HEATING
 F24
HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING (protecting plants by heating in gardens, orchards, or forests A01G 13/06; baking ovens and apparatus A21B; cooking devices other than ranges A47J; forging B21J, B21K; specially adapted for vehicles, see the relevant subclasses of classes B60-B64; combustion apparatus in general F23; drying F26B; ovens in general F27; electric heating elements or arrangements H05B)
 F24

Note(s)

In this class, the following terms are used with the meanings indicated:

  • "stove" includes apparatus which may have an open fire, e.g. fireplace;
  • "range" means an apparatus for cooking having elements that perform different cooking operations or cooking and heating operations.

 F24F
AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (devices for ventilating greenhouses A01G; animal husbandry A01K, e.g. controlling humidity in incubators A01K 41/04; disinfecting or sterilising of air A61L; devices for reconditioning breathing air in sealed rooms or for ventilating gasproof shelters A62B; filtering, washing or drying of gases B01D; mixing gases with vapours or liquids in general B01F 3/00; spraying B05B, B05D; removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B 15/00; ventilation, air-conditioning, or cooling, specially adapted for vehicles, see the relevant vehicle places, e.g. B60H, B61D 27/00; production of ozone C01B 13/10; chimneys or flues E04F 17/02, E04H 12/28, F23J 11/00, F23L 17/02; air ducts or conduits E04F 17/04, F16L; ventilation in doors or windows E06B 7/02; fans, blowers F04; noise-absorbing in pipes or pipe systems F16L; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts F23L; cooling F25; details of heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus, of general application F28F; apparatus for generating ions to be introduced into non-enclosed gases, e.g. the atmosphere, H01T 23/00)
 F24F

Note(s)

  1. In this subclass:
  2. In this subclass, the following terms or expressions are used with the meanings indicated:
    • "air-conditioning" means the supply of air to rooms or spaces by means which provide for the treatment of the air in at least two of the following ways:

      heating — cooling — any other kind of treatment, e.g. humidification;

    • "ventilation" means the supply of air to, or its extraction from, rooms or spaces, and systems for circulating air within rooms or spaces, but does not cover the mere treatment of air being supplied to, extracted from, or circulated within, rooms or spaces.
  3. Processes using enzymes or micro-organisms in order to:
    1. liberate, separate or purify a pre-existing compound or composition, or to
    2. treat textiles or clean solid sufaces of materials
    are further classified in subclass C12S[5]
 F24F
Subclass index
AIR-CONDITIONING
Room units; central systems; other systems or apparatus 1/00; 3/00; 5/00
AIR-HUMIDIFICATION 6/00
VENTILATION 7/00
SCREENING BY AIR CURRENTS 9/00
COMMON DETAILS
Control, safety 11/00
Use of energy recovery systems 12/00
Other details 13/00
 F24F 1/00 - 
F24F 5/00
Air-conditioning
 F24F 1/00
Room units, e.g. receiving primary air from a central station
 F24F 1/01
·  in which secondary air is induced by injector action of the primary air (F24F 1/02 takes precedence)  [3]
 F24F 1/02
·  self-contained, i.e. with all apparatus for treatment installed in a common casing
 F24F 1/04
·  ·  Arrangements for portability
 F24F 3/00
Air-conditioning systems in which conditioned primary air is supplied from one or more central stations to distributing units in the rooms or spaces where it may receive secondary treatment; Apparatus specially designed for such systems (room units F24F 1/00; construction of heat-exchangers F28)
 F24F 3/02
·  characterised by the pressure or velocity of the primary air (F24F 3/044 takes precedence)  [3]
 F24F 3/04
·  ·  operating with high pressure or high velocity
 F24F 3/044
·  Systems in which all treatment is given in the central station, i.e. all-air systems  [3]
 F24F 3/048
·  ·  with temperature control at constant rate of air-flow (F24F 3/056 takes precedence)  [3]
 F24F 3/052
·  ·  ·  Multiple duct systems, e.g. systems in which hot and cold air are supplied by separate circuits from the central station to mixing chambers in the spaces to be conditioned  [3]
 F24F 3/056
·  ·  the air at least partially flowing over lighting fixtures, the heat of which is dissipated or used  [3]
 F24F 3/06
·  characterised by the arrangements for the supply of heat-exchange fluid for the subsequent treatment of primary air in the room units (F24F 3/02 takes precedence)
 F24F 3/08
·  ·  with separate supply and return lines for hot and cold heat-exchange fluids
 F24F 3/10
·  ·  with separate supply lines and common return line for hot and cold heat-exchange fluids
 F24F 3/12
·  characterised by the treatment of the air otherwise than by heating and cooling (F24F 3/02, F24F 3/06 take precedence; apparatus for the individual treatment, see the appropriate subclasses for the treatments)
 F24F 3/14
·  ·  by humidification; by dehumidification
 F24F 3/147
·  ·  ·  with both heat and humidity transfer between supplied and exhausted air  [3]
 F24F 3/153
·  ·  ·  with subsequent heating, i.e. with the air, given the required humidity in the central station, passing a heating element to achieve the required temperature  [3]
 F24F 3/16
·  ·  by purification, e.g. by filtering; by sterilisation; by ozonisation
 F24F 5/00
Air-conditioning systems or apparatus not covered by group F24F 1/00 or F24F 3/00
 F24F 6/00
Air-humidification  [3]
 F24F 6/02
·  by evaporation of water in the air  [3]
 F24F 6/04
·  ·  using stationary unheated wet elements  [3]
 F24F 6/06
·  ·  using moving unheated wet elements  [3]
 F24F 6/08
·  ·  using heated wet elements  [3]
 F24F 6/10
·  ·  ·  heated electrically  [3]
 F24F 6/12
·  by forming water dispersions in the air  [3]
 F24F 6/14
·  ·  using nozzles (nozzles per se, spraying in general B05B)  [3]
 F24F 6/16
·  ·  using rotating elements  [3]
 F24F 6/18
·  by injection of steam into the air  [3]
 F24F 7/00
Ventilation
 F24F 7/007
·  with forced flow (using ducting systems F24F 7/06)  [3]
 F24F 7/013
·  ·  using wall or window fans, displacing air through the wall or window  [3]
 F24F 7/02
·  Roof ventilation (F24F 7/007 takes precedence; ventilation of roof coverings E04D)  [3,6]
 F24F 7/04
·  with ducting systems
 F24F 7/06
·  ·  with forced air circulation, e.g. by fan
 F24F 7/08
·  ·  ·  with separate ducts for supplied and exhausted air  [3]
 F24F 7/10
·  ·  ·  with air supply, or exhaust, through perforated wall, floor or ceiling (outlet members for directing or distributing air F24F 13/06)  [3]
 F24F 9/00
Use of air currents for screening, e.g. air curtain (air curtains for vehicles B60J 9/04)
 F24F 11/00 - 
F24F 13/00
Common features or details
 F24F 11/00
Control or safety systems or apparatus (control valves per se F16K; humidity control G05D 22/00)  [3]
 F24F 11/02
·  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
 F24F 11/04
·  ·  solely for controlling the rate of air-flow (F24F 11/08 takes precedence)
 F24F 11/047
·  ·  ·  to constant value  [3]
 F24F 11/053
·  ·  ·  by means responsive to temperature  [3]
 F24F 11/06
·  ·  solely for controlling the supply of heating or cooling fluids for secondary treatment (F24F 11/08 takes procedence)
 F24F 11/08
·  ·  for controlling the primary treatment of air
 F24F 12/00
Use of energy recovery systems in air conditioning, ventilation or screening (with both heat and humidity transfer between supplied and exhausted air F24F 3/147; heat-exchange in general F28)  [4]
 F24F 13/00
Details common to, or for air-conditioning, air-humidification, ventilation or use of air currents for screening
 F24F 13/02
·  Ducting arrangements
 F24F 13/04
·  ·  Air-mixing units (F24F 13/06 takes precedence; mixing gases in general B01F 3/02)
 F24F 13/06
·  ·  Outlets for directing or distributing air into rooms or spaces, e.g. ceiling air diffuser
 F24F 13/062
·  ·  ·  having one or more bowls or cones diverging in the flow direction (F24F 13/072 takes precedence)  [3]
 F24F 13/065
·  ·  ·  formed as cylindrical or spherical bodies which are rotatable (F24F 13/072 takes precedence)  [3]
 F24F 13/068
·  ·  ·  formed as perforated walls, ceilings or floors (F24F 13/078 takes precedence)  [3]
 F24F 13/072
·  ·  ·  of elongated shape, e.g. between ceiling panels  [3]
 F24F 13/075
·  ·  ·  having parallel rods or lamellae directing the outflow, e.g. the rods or lamellae being individually adjustable (F24F 13/072 takes precedence)  [3]
 F24F 13/078
·  ·  ·  combined with lighting fixtures (air-treatment systems with air-flow over lighting fixtures F24F 3/056)  [3]
 F24F 13/08
·  Air-flow control members, e.g. louvres, grilles, flaps, guide plates (F24F 7/013, F24F 13/06 take precedence; roof ventilation F24F 7/02)  [3]
 F24F 13/10
·  ·  movable, e.g. damper (F24F 13/18 takes precedence; valves in general F16K)
 F24F 13/12
·  ·  ·  built-up of sliding members
 F24F 13/14
·  ·  ·  built-up of tilting members, e.g. louvre
 F24F 13/15
·  ·  ·  ·  with parallel simultaneously tiltable lamellae  [3]
 F24F 13/16
·  ·  ·  built-up of parallelly-movable plates
 F24F 13/18
·  ·  specially adapted for insertion in flat panels, e.g. in door or window-pane
 F24F 13/20
·  Casings or covers  [5]
 F24F 13/22
·  Means for preventing condensation or evacuating condensate  [5]
 F24F 13/24
·  Means for preventing or suppressing noise  [5]
 F24F 13/26
·  Arrangements for air-circulation by means of induction, e.g. by fluid coupling or thermal effect  [6]
 F24F 13/28
·  Arrangement or mounting of filters  [6]
 F24F 13/30
·  Arrangement or mounting of heat-exchangers  [6]
 F24F 13/32
·  Supports for air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation units  [6]