This class comprises apparatus for preparing, treating and
preserving substances (foods) intended to be eaten and drunk by
human beings, or animals for their nourishment and not provided
for elsewhere.
Brushing, Scrubbing, and General Cleaning, for apparatus for removing materials by a draft or current
of air, stem, or other gaseous fluid, and for apparatus for brushing,
beating, scraping, wiping, shooting or use of a squeegee, with or
without the use of liquids particularly
subclasses 3.1+ , for treating fruit, vegetables, meat or eggs.
Textiles: Fiber Preparation, for apparatus for isolating and manipulating fibers so
as to place them in condition for the purpose for which they are
to be utilized, particularly
subclasses 2+ .
Drying and Gas or Vapor Contact With Solids, will take other than cooking apparatus,
subclasses 329+ for a process of contacting treated material with
a solid or liquid agent.
Static Structures (e.g., Buildings), appropriate subclasses for mere storage structure
e.g., storage bins but having no additional means peculiar to food
preservation.
Cutting, for general cutting or severing of that class (83)
type. This class (99) requires separation of different portions
of food or apparatus that recognizes the food, e.g., means to hold
a vegetable so the stem-end is cut off.
Presses, for presses not elsewhere provided for. See this class
(99) for devices for removing the juices from citrus fruit where
a reaming action is employed, such action is employed, such action
being deemed inherent in a pair of rolls where the rolls are driven
at different speeds. Also
subclasses 94+ of Class 100 for presses not elsewhere provided
for combined with means for cutting, breaking, piercing or comminuting.
Stoves and Furnaces, for a food support device of all types combined with a
stove or other general heating structure involving the combustion
of fuel and not limited in their use to the application of heat
to the food on the claimed food support, for a shelf, tray, or receptacle
type support, not necessarily limited to use with foods, combined
with heat or vapor enclosures, and either with or without heat, steam,
or vapor generating means, and a vessel, containing, or capable
of containing, a liquid and structurally modified to facilitate
the heating of the contents of the vessel or combined with a combustion
heat generator;
subclass 14 for a broiling attachment for the stove, subclasses
19+ for a cooking oven, subclass 41 for a gas cooking stove
having a broiler, subclass 51 for a liquid fueled cooking stove
having a drip pan or receptacle, subclass 59 for a specially designed
knock-down camp stove for tent heating, subclass 59.5 for a heat
or smoke generating stove to protect an orchard from frost, subclass
200 for a transparent panel for a stove door or window, subclasses
273+ for a domestic oven, subclasses 285+ for
a stove or furnace dampener or subclasses 344+ for a water
heater.
Fluent Material Handling, With Receiver or Receiver
Coacting Means, for apparatus for filling receivers with fluent
material with treatment as provided in the class definition of that class
(141), in Lines With Other Classes, "Treatment Classes."
Conveyors: Power-Driven, for a conveyor structure, a conveyor provided with means adapting
the conveyor to transport a material or an article between points
having unlike fluid pressures, or a conveyor combined with an enclosure
for all or a part of the conveyor even though the enclosure is designated
by a particular name, but where no significant structure or cooperation
of the enclosure is claimed;
subclasses 343.1+ for a load supporting conveyor portion that is
retarded or stopped with a load at station without being disconnected
from a remainder of a continuously moving conveyor or subclasses
373+ a conveyor for changing attitude of an item relative
to its conveyed direction.
Electric Heating, for a food support device of all types combined with an
electric stove or other general electrical heating structure not limited
in its use to the application of heat to the food on the claimed
food support, a shelf, tray, or receptacle type support not necessarily limited
to use with foods combined with a particular electrical heat generator
that may include a heat or vapor enclosure;
subclasses 385+ for a heating device combined with container, enclosure,
or support for material to be heated, subclasses 600+ for
inductive heating, subclasses 678+ microwave heating, or
subclasses 764+ for capacitive dielectric heating.
Solid Material Comminution or Disintegration, appropriate subclasses for the comminution of food
substances and such combinations of other treatment therewith as
are provided for in Class 241. See Lines With Other Classes and Within
This Class, in the class definition of that class (241) for a complete
statement of the line.
Work Holders, appropriate subclasses. Class 269 is the residual
locus for patents to a device for clamping, supporting and/or
holding an article in position to be operated on or treated.
Material or Article Handling, for a conveyor combined with an enclosure or tank provided with
means facilitating or fluid pressure sealing the entry and/or
exit of the conveyor to or from the enclosure or tank, even though
the latter is designated by a particular name or is stated to contain
a treating fluid, but where no structure of the enclosure or tank
is claimed other than that necessary to effect the handling of the material;
subclasses 147+ for the combination of a chamber of a type utilized
for a heating function and material charging or discharging means
therefor, and subclass 287 for the combination of a static receptacle
of a material conditioning type and means to move, or facilitate the
movement of, material to, within, or from the receptacle.
Chemical Apparatus and Process Disinfecting, Deodorizing,
Preserving, or Sterilizing, for general disinfecting, deodorizing, preserving, or
sterilizing of materials and articles.
Abrading, for an abrading process or apparatus of general
application. For example, included in Class 451 is a grain tumbling
device which presents no abrasive or other material removing surface
to the grain wherein abrading is effected by mutual engagement of
the grains with each other. However, note that a grain container
that is either stationary or moving is included in Class 99 when
provided with a grain contacting member which moves the grain in
the container for the disclosed purpose of removing the husk or
adhering impurities, even if using an abradant.
Butchering, appropriate subclasses, for apparatus for killing
and dressing animals for food, for linking and stuffing of sausages,
for cleaning intestines, and for tendering meat.
Organic Compounds,
subclasses 8+ for extraction of oils from vegetable material
and from animal fats.
SECTION III - GLOSSARY
Terms in the definitions of this class followed
by an asterisk(*) will be found to be defined in this section.
ACCESS
The term "access" is intended to include
a cutting means which (a) makes an incision (usually at a point
adjacent either the stem or tip of the food) for the purpose of allowing
the same means and/or another means to separate the core-pit* from
the interior of the food; or, (b) impales the food (and, the place
of entry of the impaling means frequently is used for the same purpose
as the incision in (a), immediately above); or, (c) halves the food
(and, once the food is "halved", an easier "access" is
obtained to separate the core-pit, seeds, inner membranes, etc.)
BLOSSOM-END
This expression relates to the surface area of food at
the location of the natural attachment to the food of the flower
or calyx of food such as a cherry or strawberry and may also include
a small portion of adjacent skin; the expression is arbitrarily
extended to include the tip or root of food such as a turnip or
potato.
CORE-PIT
That portion of an article of food that is located in
and around the geometrical center of the food; however, the outer
periphery of the core-pit is NOT necessarily equidistant for the
outer periphery of the food, (e.g., a generally ellipsoidal "pit" in
a generally spherical peach). Further, in some varieties of food
(e.g., a relatively small variety of apple) a drilling or punch-die
type means which may remove a substantially right circular cylinder
section, when aligned with the stem-blossom axis of the apple, will
usually remove not only the seed pocket but also that portion of
the apple containing matter connected to both the stem and blossom
ends of the apple. Thus, the core-pit portion may include a central portion
only, or a central portion plus a right-circular-cylinder section
containing the central portion.
CORE-PIT
This expression usually precedes the word "means",
and is intended to comprehend a "mechanical treatment" which
contacts all or a portion of the core-pit and then severs, tears
away, separates, and/or removes the core-pit from the remaining
portion of the food.
DISJOIN (DISJOINING)
These expressions are used to indicate that one portion of
a naturally occurring article of food is detached or disunited from
an immediately adjacent portion of the food without necessarily
being spatially separated to a significant extent. For example:
rolling, with some slight pressure, a hard-boiled fowl egg will
disunite at least part of the bond between the outer shell* and
the interior of the egg; however, unless the shell is totally removed,
the membrane between the shell and the interior egg portions keeps
the shell attached. Thus, at least portions of the shell have been
disjoined from the inner portions although the same, or other portions
of the shell, have not been spatially separated from the inner portions.
EDIBLE
An object that is subject to consumption by an human
or animal by chewing or masticating prior to swallowing.
FOOD
A man-made or naturally-occurring discrete article consumable
by animals or humans for nourishment.
GRAIN
This term is interpreted to include those seeds to which the
term is ordinarily applied, e.g., wheat, oats, cottonseed, corn,
coffee beans, barley, etc., and to exclude larger vegetables such
as beets, nuts, potatoes, etc.
HULL or HULLING
These expressions are treated as being species of skin* disjoining*;
however, an exception is recognized, as follows: Grain-hulling equates
a covering of dirt or similar impurities, with the naturally occurring
outer covering of grain*.
REMOVE
To spatially separate significantly one portion of food from
another.
SEED
A discrete article, constituting a propagative part of
a naturally-occurring edible food, usually found in or near the
core-pit area. As to human consumption, it is frequently "waste";
but, as to the reproduction of the species, it is essential.
SHELL
Shell includes those outer coverings of articles of food which
fracture upon impact, as distinguished from those outer coverings
that yield upon impact. Prime example of foods having fractile and/or
fracturable outer coverings are fowl eggs and nuts.
SKIN
That portion of the outer periphery of an article of
food that is dissimilar with respect to the inner portion of the food
in at least one (and usually several) of the following respects:
color, consistency, density, firmness, flexibility, hardness, texture
("rough" vs. "slick" to the touch),
and toughness (resistance or lack of resistance to "tearing").
STEM-END
This expression relates to the surface area of food at
the location of the natural attachment to the food of a stalk, stem,
branch, vine or cap that supports an article of food such as a cherry
or strawberry and may also include a small portion of the adjacent
skin; the expression is arbitrarily extended to include the area
of attachment of the sprout, leaf, stalk or foliage of food such
as a potato.
STEMMING
This expression is arbitrarily assigned as being generic to
the separation of items such as a blossom, leaf, root, tip, or similar
portion of a naturally occurring food, in addition to connoting
the separation of a stem.
Chemistry: Electrical and Wave Energy, appropriate subclasses for apparatus for electrical
treatments of alcoholic or other beverages or alcoholic or other
liquids.
Chemistry: Molecular Biology and Microbiology,
subclasses 289.1+ for apparatus that includes means for carrying
out propagations of yeasts, or other living ferments, or diastatic mashings
or other fermentations, or germinating seeds, or preparing malt, or
preserving or treating, or containing yeasts or other living ferments,
or treating products of fermentations, or preparing materials for
use in propagating yeasts or other living ferments, or for use in
fermentations.
This subclass is indented under subclass 275. Apparatus which includes means that is adapted and designed
for carrying out primary (first) ethyl alcoholic fermentations,
combined with means for preparation of the material or treatment
of the product to make a beverage or combined with both material
preparation and product treatment to form a beverage or beverage
intermediate.
This subclass is indented under subclass 275. Apparatus which includes means for treating products of
primary (first) ethyl alcoholic fermentations for the purpose of
making beverages, or beverage intermediates, therefrom.
Chemistry: Electrical and Wave Energy,
subclass 194 and appropriate indented subclasses for apparatus
for electrolytic treatment of alcoholic beverages.
Liquid Purification or Separation, appropriate subclasses, for separation of solid matter
from liquids, especially
subclasses 348+ for filters, and subclasses 513+ for gravitational
separators.
This subclass is indented under subclass 277. Apparatus especially adapted for aging, refining, and purifying
alcoholic beverages and potable alcohols.
(1)
Note. For electrolytic apparatus for aging, refining, or purifying
alcoholic beverages, see Class 204, Chemistry: Electrical and Wave
Energy, subclass 194 and appropriate indented subclasses.
This subclass is indented under subclass 275. Apparatus which includes means for hopping, or preparing
hop-extracts, or making or purifying worts, or otherwise preparing
materials for primary (first) ethyl alcoholic fermentations.
Chemistry: Molecular Biology and Microbiology,
subclasses 289.1+ , particularly 291.1+, for apparatus for carrying
out diastatic mashings or other operations that involve, or are subsequent
or prior to, fermentations of any kind.
This subclass is indented under subclass 275. Apparatus for subjecting a material containing an extractable
or infusible beverage substance to the action of an extracting or
infusing fluid which is usually at an elevated temperature.
Chemical Apparatus and Process Disinfecting, Deodorizing,
Preserving, or Sterilizing,
subclasses 255+ for apparatus for dissolving, leaching, or extracting
a soluble constituent of a nonbeverage material.
This subclass is indented under subclass 279. Infusion apparatus provided with means to initiate, maintain
and/or terminate an operation thereof in accordance with
the functioning of timing means and/or condition responsive means.
(1)
Note. For purposes of this classification, the timing mechanism
must be of the chronometric type, normally found, per se, in Class
368, Horology: Time Measuring Systems or Devices, and not mere cycling
means, such as a cam device.
This subclass is indented under subclass 281. Infusion apparatus wherein the contact of the infusing fluid
and the infusive material is initiated, controlled or terminated
by a time or condition responsive device.
This subclass is indented under subclass 280. Infusion apparatus wherein the contact of the infusing fluid
and the infusive material is initiated, controlled, or terminated
by a time or condition responsive device.
This subclass is indented under subclass 279. Infusion apparatus which is adapted for a different use,
either as another type of beverage infuser or as any other device
by means of a modification of its adjustment, assembly, or position.
This subclass is indented under subclass 279. Infusion apparatus, including means for gauging, signalling,
indicating, testing, or facilitating the visual inspection, of,
the beverage, the beverage material, or the existence or occurrence
of some condition usually relating to the infusing operation.
Stoves and Furnaces, limited to heating food,
subclass 388.1 for a fluid fuel burner other than a top-accessible liquid
heating vessel and an indicator or signaler feature.
Communications: Electrical, appropriate subclasses for electrical signaling systems,
especially
subclass 603 for a signal automatically responsive to the condition
of a fluent material, and subclasses 309.16-309.9 for a timer controlled
signal.
This subclass is indented under subclass 279. Infusion apparatus combined with means for subjecting the
infusible material or infusing liquid to an operation or manipulation,
other than heating and prior to infusive contact therebetween, which
modifies either the physical or chemical state of the material or
liquid.
(1)
Note. The prior operations of roasting and/or grinding
are here included.
This subclass is indented under subclass 279. Infusion apparatus, including means for stirring, commingling,
or compressing, the infusible materials during the infusing operation usually
to facilitate formation of the infusion.
Presses,
subclasses 73+ for presses, not elsewhere provided for, having means
to add material to the pressed material where the material added
is liquid or steam.
This subclass is indented under subclass 279. Infusion apparatus including one or more food heating or
cooking devices combined with beverage infusing apparatus.
This subclass is indented under subclass 279. Infusion apparatus, including mechanism for delivering infusible
material, i.e., material containing the extractable substances into,
or withdrawing infusible material from the extracting zone.
(1)
Note. The flushing out of adherent infusible material by a
washing fluid is here included.
This subclass is indented under subclass 279. Infusion apparatus of the type in which infusing liquid
is forced from a heating and storage vessel, by the pressure of
the vapor evolved during a heating operation through a suitable channel
into an extraction vessel and is then caused to revert to the heating
and storage vessel, through substantially the same channel, by either
gravity alone or in conjunction with the vacuum produced in the
heating and storage vessel incident to the condensation of the vapors
therein.
(1)
Note. These devices are frequently fabricated of glass and
are sometimes referred to as "glass coffee makers".
Pipe Joints or Couplings,
subclasses 19+ for a joint between spaced plates (e.g., between
the walls of two vessels), and subclasses 223+ for a flexible
joint between rigid members.
This subclass is indented under subclass 279. Infusion apparatus of the type in which (1) the infusible
material is subjected to the action of a vaporized liquid, usually
steam, (2) the infusible material is contacted with condensate of the
infusing fluid, or (3) the infusing device is provided with some
special means to extract the heat of vaporization of, or to receive
the condensate of, either the infusing fluid or a volatile constituent
of the infusible material.
Stoves and Furnaces, limited to heating food,
subclasses 369 through 369.3for a steam chamber for food or subclasses 381.1
and 382.1 for an open-top liquid heating vessel that may include
a lid having a condenser for steam from the vessel.
This subclass is indented under subclass 293. Infusion apparatus in which separate means are provided
to contact the infusible material with both a liquid and a vapor.
This subclass is indented under subclass 279. Infusion apparatus modified to accept infusible material
associated in a vendable, disposable, or single use infusing package
or receptacle.
This subclass is indented under subclass 279. Infusion apparatus having oppositely disposed vessels communicating
through an infusion chamber, and means whereby (1) the apparatus may
be selectively positioned with either vessel in the subjacent position,
(2) one vessel may be detached from the other vessel and placed,
top surface down, on an appropriate support, or (3) the apparatus
may be tilted to cause the completed or partially completed beverage
to pass or repass through the infusion chamber.
This subclass is indented under subclass 279. Apparatus in which the infusible material is carried by
a piston closely fitted within an elongated chamber containing infusing
fluid so that movement of the piston requires passage of the infusing
fluid through the infusible material.
This subclass is indented under subclass 279. Infusion apparatus, including (1) two or more surfaces,
receptacles, or compartments, for the reception of the infusible
material for a single beverage, or (2) one or more surfaces, receptacles,
or compartments, for the reception of infusible material provided
with additional means for separating solid material from the beverage.
This subclass is indented under subclass 279. Infusion apparatus in which means are provided to vary or
adjustably determine the duration or character of contact between
the infusible material and the infusing fluid, other than by manipulation
of the infusible material or the supply of infusing fluid.
This subclass is indented under subclass 279. Infusion apparatus, including means to conduct or deflect
infusing liquid toward the infusible material for contact therewith.
This subclass is indented under subclass 300. Infusion apparatus wherein a body of liquid is arranged
in the liquid supply so as to prevent escape through the supply
of vapors present in the infusor.
This subclass is indented under subclass 300. Infusion devices wherein pressure means are provided to
induce flow of infusing liquid through the infusible material.
(1)
Note. Vacuum means for inducing flow are here included.
This subclass is indented under subclass 302. Infusion apparatus wherein the direction of flow of infusing
liquid through the infusible material is contrary to the action
of gravity.
This subclass is indented under subclass 300. Infusion apparatus wherein the flow of infusing fluid through
the infusible material is due to the weight of the liquid which
is in contact with the material.
This subclass is indented under subclass 304. Infusion apparatus wherein means are provided to vary or
adjust the rate of liquid supply or to determine the total quantity
of liquid supplied.
This subclass is indented under subclass 304. Infusion apparatus, wherein the liquid supply in its entirety
consists of a vessel of sufficient size to contain substantially
the entire charge of liquid and apertured to permit a restricted
gravity discharge thereof upon the infusible material positioned
therebelow.
This subclass is indented under subclass 304. Infusion apparatus, wherein the liquid supply includes means
for elevating or otherwise propelling the liquid.
This subclass is indented under subclass 307. Infusion apparatus wherein liquid after contact with the
infusible material is returned to the liquid supply means for reuse
in again contacting the infusible material.
This subclass is indented under subclass 308. Infusion apparatus, wherein means are provided for supplying
at will either unprocessed liquid or partially infused beverage.
This subclass is indented under subclass 308. Infusion apparatus wherein liquid is delivered upwardly
through a conduit surrounded by a bed of infusible material and
is allowed to gravitate upon the infusible material.
This subclass is indented under subclass 310. Infusion apparatus wherein means are provided to discharge
liquid in excess of a desired height above the infusible material.
Stoves and Furnaces, limited to heating food,
subclasses 383.1 through 386.1for an open-top liquid heating vessel that may
include a lid having a collecting, directing, or shielding feature
for overflow or spatter of the liquid.
This subclass is indented under subclass 310. Infusion apparatus including means to facilitate the spreading
of liquid over the area of the infusible material, frequently by
means of perforated spreader plates.
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