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)
 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
 B07C 1/00 - 
B07C 3/00
Postal sorting; Similar sorting of documents, e.g. cheques (tube mail systems B65G 51/04; sorting information records, e.g. punched cards, G06F 7/10)
 B07C 1/00
Measures preceding sorting according to destination
 B07C 1/02
·  Forming articles into a stream; Arranging articles in a stream, e.g. spacing, orientating
 B07C 1/04
·  ·  Forming a stream from a bulk; Regulating the stream, e.g. spacing the articles
 B07C 1/06
·  ·  Orientating; Aligning
 B07C 1/10
·  Sorting according to size or flexibility
 B07C 1/12
·  ·  Separating letters from parcels
 B07C 1/14
·  ·  Sorting according to length or width
 B07C 1/16
·  ·  Sorting according to thickness or stiffness
 B07C 1/18
·  Orientating articles other than in a stream
 B07C 1/20
·  Sorting according to orientation, e.g. according to position of stamp
 B07C 3/00
Sorting according to destination
 B07C 3/02
·  Apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
 B07C 3/04
·  ·  Drum-type sorting machines
 B07C 3/06
·  ·  Linear sorting machines in which articles are removed from a stream at selected points
 B07C 3/08
·  ·  using arrangements of conveyers
 B07C 3/10
·  Apparatus characterised by the means used for detection of the destination (methods or arrangements for reading and recognising printed or written characters or geometric figures G06K 9/00)
 B07C 3/12
·  ·  using electric or electronic detecting means (B07C 3/14 takes precedence)
 B07C 3/14
·  ·  using light-responsive detecting means
 B07C 3/16
·  ·  using magnetic detecting means
 B07C 3/18
·  Devices or arrangements for indicating destination, e.g. by code marks
 B07C 3/20
·  Arrangements for facilitating the visual reading of addresses, e.g. display arrangements
   
 B07C 5/00
Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches (sorting by hand only B07C 7/00; separating solids from solids by sieving, screening, or sifting or by using gas currents or other separating by dry methods applicable to bulk material B07B; sorting of coins G07D)  [3]
 B07C 5/02
·  Measures preceding sorting, e.g. arranging articles in a stream, orientating
 B07C 5/04
·  Sorting according to size
 B07C 5/06
·  ·  measured mechanically
 B07C 5/07
·  ·  ·  by calipering using relatively moving article-engaging means, e.g. clamps  [2]
 B07C 5/08
·  ·  measured electrically or electronically (B07C 5/10 takes precedence)
 B07C 5/10
·  ·  measured by light-responsive means
 B07C 5/12
·  ·  characterised by the application to particular articles, not otherwise provided for (sorting eggs A01K 43/00)
 B07C 5/14
·  ·  ·  Sorting timber or logs
 B07C 5/16
·  Sorting according to weight (sorting eggs A01K 43/00; weighing apparatus per se G01G)
 B07C 5/18
·  ·  using a single stationary weighing mechanism
 B07C 5/20
·  ·  ·  for separating articles of less than a predetermined weight from those of more than that weight
 B07C 5/22
·  ·  using a plurality of stationary weighing mechanisms
 B07C 5/24
·  ·  using moving weighing mechanisms, e.g. moving along a circular path
 B07C 5/26
·  ·  ·  wherein the counterbalancing effect of the weighing mechanisms is varied during such movement
 B07C 5/28
·  ·  using electrical control means
 B07C 5/30
·  ·  with associated counting means
 B07C 5/32
·  ·  with associated check-weighing means
 B07C 5/34
·  Sorting according to other particular properties
 B07C 5/342
·  ·  according to optical properties, e.g. colour
 B07C 5/344
·  ·  according to electric or electromagnetic properties
 B07C 5/346
·  ·  according to radioactive properties
 B07C 5/36
·  Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution
 B07C 5/38
·  ·  Collecting or arranging articles in groups
 B07C 7/00
Sorting by hand only
 B07C 7/02
·  Compartmented furniture, e.g. pigeon-holes (storage racks B65G)
 B07C 7/04
·  Apparatus or accessories for hand picking
 B07C 9/00
Sorting, with or without orientating, not otherwise provided for