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]
 F41H
ARMOUR; ARMOURED TURRETS; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL
 F41H
Subclass index
ARMOUR
Personal protection gear 1/00
Armour plates, shields 5/00
CAMOUFLAGE 3/00
ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES 7/00
FLAME, GAS OR CHEMICAL WARFARE 9/00
OTHER ATTACK OR DEFENCE MEANS 11/00, 13/00
 F41H 1/00
Personal protection-gear (shields for personal use F41H 5/08; for protection against chemical warfare A62B)
 F41H 1/02
·  Armoured or projectile- or missile-resistant garments; Composite protection fabrics
 F41H 1/04
·  Protection helmets (crash helmets A42B 3/00)
 F41H 1/06
·  ·  of steel; Steel head-shields
 F41H 1/08
·  ·  of plastics; Plastic head-shields
 F41H 3/00
Camouflage, i.e. means or methods for concealment or disguise (for vessels B63G 8/34, B63G 13/02)
 F41H 3/02
·  Covers, e.g. screens, nets (making thereof, see the relevant classes, e.g. D04)
 F41H 5/00
Armour; Armour plates (processes for manufacturing or treating B21, C21)
 F41H 5/007
·  Reactive armour; Dynamic armour  [5]
 F41H 5/013
·  Mounting or securing armour plates  [5]
 F41H 5/02
·  Plate construction
 F41H 5/04
·  ·  composed of more than one layer
 F41H 5/06
·  Shields (in ships B63G 9/00; in aircraft B64D 7/00)
 F41H 5/08
·  ·  for personal use
 F41H 5/10
·  ·  ·  Spade bayonets, i.e. usable as a spade, bayonet, or cover against rifle fire
 F41H 5/12
·  ·  for smallarms; for light-rocket launchers
 F41H 5/14
·  ·  ·  Wheeled armoured shields
 F41H 5/16
·  ·  for ordnance
 F41H 5/18
·  ·  Rotating shields
 F41H 5/20
·  Turrets
 F41H 5/22
·  Manhole covers, e.g. on tanks (in general F16J)
 F41H 5/24
·  for stationary use, e.g. fortifications
 F41H 5/26
·  Peepholes; Windows (manufacture or composition of glass C03); Covers therefor
 F41H 7/00
Armoured or armed vehicles (general vehicle aspects B60; armoured or armed ships B63G; armoured or armed aircraft B64D; mounting guns, e.g. machine-guns, on vehicles F41A 23/00)
 F41H 7/02
·  Land vehicles with enclosing armour, e.g. tanks (endless-track vehicles, steering thereof B62D)
 F41H 7/03
·  ·  Air-pressurised compartments for crew; Means for preventing admission of noxious substances, e.g. combustion gas from gun barrels, in crew compartments; Sealing arrangements  [5]
 F41H 7/04
·  ·  Armour construction (in general F41H 5/00)
 F41H 7/10
·  Mine-laying land vehicles
 F41H 9/00
Equipment for attack or defence by spreading flame, gas, or smoke; Chemical warfare equipment (protection against chemicals A62B)
 F41H 9/02
·  Flame-throwing apparatus (for destroying vegetation A01M 15/00)
 F41H 9/04
·  Gas blowing apparatus, e.g. for tear gas (F41H 9/10 takes precedence)
 F41H 9/06
·  Apparatus for generating artificial fog or smoke screens (smoke-pot projectors, e.g. arranged on vehicles, F42B 5/155)
 F41H 9/08
·  ·  Smoke-pots without propulsive charge, i.e. stationary  [5]
 F41H 9/10
·  Hand-held or body-worn self-defence devices using repellant gases or chemicals  [5]
 F41H 11/00
Defence installations; Defence devices (constructional aspects, see section E, e.g. E04H 9/04)
 F41H 11/02
·  Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile defence installations or systems (cartridges or missiles for producing smoke or for dispensing radar chaff or infra-red material F42B 5/15, F42B 12/48, F42B 12/70)
 F41H 11/04
·  ·  Aerial barrages
 F41H 11/05
·  Net barriers for harbour defence
 F41H 11/06
·  Gun-traps
 F41H 11/08
·  Barbed-wire obstacles; Barricades; Stanchions; Tank traps; Vehicle-impeding devices; Caltrops
 F41H 11/10
·  ·  Dispensing-apparatus therefor, e.g. devices for dispensing and reeling barbed wire
 F41H 11/11
·  ·  Clearing or neutralising barbed-wire obstacles (smallarm attachments for wire cutting F41C 27/20)  [5]
 F41H 11/12
·  Means for clearing land minefields (sweeping mines B63G)
 F41H 11/14
·  ·  with electric explosive cable, e.g. mine-clearing snakes
 F41H 11/16
·  ·  Self-propelled mine-clearing vehicles
 F41H 13/00
Means of attack or defence not otherwise provided for