|  | 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. In this sub-section, the separation of different materials, e.g. of different matter, size, or state, is predominantly found in the following subclasses: Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B01D Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03B, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03C, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03D Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B04B, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B04C, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B07B, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B07C. The classifying characteristics of these subclasses are: the physical state of the matter to be separated; the principle of the process used; particular kinds of apparatus. The first of these characteristics involves six different aspects, assembled in three groups: liquid/liquid or liquid/gas and gas/gas; solid/liquid or solid/gas; solid/solid. These subclasses are to be used according to the following general rules: Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B01D is the most general class as far as separation other than solids from solids is concerned. Apparatus for separating solids from solids are covered by Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03B when the process concerned is regarded as the equivalent of "washing" in the sense of the mining art, even if such apparatus is a pneumatic one, especially pneumatic tables or jigs. Screens per se are not covered by this subclass but are classified in Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B07B, even if they are being used in a wet process. All other apparatus for the separation of solids from solids according to dry methods are classified in Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B07B. If the separation takes place as a result of the detection or measurement of some feature of the material or articles to be sorted it is classified in Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B07C. It should also be noted that the separation of isotopes of the same chemical element is covered by Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B01D 59/00, whatever process or apparatus is employed. The following scheme illustrates the classification according to these rules.

|  | B07 |
SEPARATING SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS; SORTING (separation in general Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B01D; wet separating processes, sorting by processes using fluent material in the same way as liquid Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03; using liquids Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03B, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03D; sorting by magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high voltage electric fields Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B03C; centrifuges or vortex apparatus for carrying out physical processes Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...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. Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...A43D 33/06, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...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 Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B65G 51/04; sorting information records, e.g. punched cards, Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...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 Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...G06K 9/00)

|  | B07C 3/12 |
· · | using electric or electronic detecting means (Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...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 Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...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 Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B07B) [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 (Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...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 Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...A01K 43/00)

|  | B07C 5/14 |
· · · | Sorting timber or logs

|  | B07C 5/16 |
· | Sorting according to weight (sorting eggs Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...A01K 43/00; weighing apparatus per se Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...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 Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B65G)

|  | B07C 7/04 |
· | Apparatus or accessories for hand picking

|  | B07C 9/00 |
Sorting, with or without orientating, not otherwise provided for