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.

  1. In this sub-section, the separation of different materials, e.g. of different matter, size, or state, is predominantly found in the following subclasses:

    B01D

    B03B, B03C, B03D

    B04B, B04C

    B07B, B07C.

  2. The classifying characteristics of these subclasses are:
    1. the physical state of the matter to be separated;
    2. the principle of the process used;
    3. particular kinds of apparatus.
    The first of these characteristics involves six different aspects, assembled in three groups:
    1. liquid/liquid or liquid/gas and gas/gas;
    2. solid/liquid or solid/gas;
    3. solid/solid.
  3. These subclasses are to be used according to the following general rules:
    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.
  4. The following scheme illustrates the classification according to these rules.

        TABLE A

        LIQUID/LIQUID

        LIQUID/GAS

        GAS/GAS

                                            Subclasses dealing with

     Operations                                 Method    Apparatus

     General                                    B01D      B01D

       by centrifugal force, using centrifuges or

       free-vortex apparatus                    B01D      B04B,

                                                            B04C

       using magnetic or electrostatic effect   B03C      B03C 

        TABLE B

        SOLID/LIQUID

        SOLID/GAS

                                            Subclasses dealing with

     Operations                                 Method    Apparatus

     General                                    B01D      B01D 

       by centrifugal force                     B01D      B01D 

       using centrifuges or free-vortex

         apparatus                              B01D      B04B,

                                                            B04C

       using magnetic or electrostatic effect   B03C      B03C

        TABLE C

        SOLID/SOLID

     Dry methods

                                             Subclasses dealing with

     Operations                                 Method    Apparatus

     General

     material in bulk                           B07B      B07B 

     Individual sorting                         B07C      B07C 

       Screening, sifting, pneumatic sorting    B07B      B07B 

         using pneumatic tables or jigs         B03B      B03B 

       by magnetic or electrostatic effect      B03C      B03C 

       by centrifugal force                     B07B      B07B 

         using centrifuges or free-vortex

         apparatus                              B07B      B04B,

                                                            B04C

     Wet methods

                                             Subclasses dealing with

     Operations                                 Method    Apparatus

     General                                    B03B      B03B 

       flotation, differential sedimentation    B03D      B03D 

       screening                                B07B      B07B

     Combinations Dry methods - wet methods     B03B 

 B07
SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING (separation in general B01D; wet separating processes, sorting by processes using fluent material in the same way as liquid B03; using liquids B03B, B03D; 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 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 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 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.

 B07B
Subclass index
SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS USING NETWORKS, GRATINGS, OR GRIDS 1/00
SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS USING GAS CURRENTS 4/00, 7/00, 9/00, 11/00
OTHER SEPARATING; COMBINATIONS 13/00; 15/00

 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. A43D 33/06, 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.

 B07C
Subclass index
SORTING CHARACTERISED BY THE METHOD 5/00, 7/00, 9/00
SORTING ACCORDING TO DESTINATION 1/00, 3/00