This class provides for apparatus for: a) enriching metal bearing
ores, b) extracting metals from their source materials, c) refining,
purifying or otherwise treating molten or liquefied metals where
such treatment is not elsewhere provided for, d) melting metals
and e) establishing desired physical or chemical properties in solid metal
objects, and for subcombinations peculiar to such apparatus. This
class also provides for methods of operating such apparatus where
not elsewhere provided for.
(1)
Note. Patents issued prior to 1945 have not in all instances
been classified by their claimed disclosure so the placement of these
older patents does not necessarily indicate lines of classification.
SECTION II - LINES WITH OTHER CLASSES AND WITHIN THIS CLASS
While Class 266 provides for certain methods of operating
metallurgical apparatus, those patents which recite a step of treating
an ore or molten metal or of altering the parameters effecting such
a treatment, e.g., temperature, oxygen content, will not be found
in Class 266, unless such a method is less comprehensive than the
apparatus. The methods provided for in Class 266 are merely of
an operational nature and contain no treatment steps. The order
of superiority among various metal, alloy, and metal stock areas
and methods of manufacture involving them is as follows:
(1) Class 419, Powder Metallurgy Processes.
(2) Class 148, Metal Treatment, subclasses 22+, compositions
for treatment of solid metal.
(3) Class 75, Specialized Metallurgical Processes, Compositions
for Use Therein, Consolidated Metal Powder Compositions, and Loose
Metal Particulate Mixtures, subclasses 300, 301, and 303+,
gaseous, liquid or solid treating compositions for liquid metal
or charges, and subclass 302, welding rod defined by composition.
(4) Class 75, Specialized Metallurgical Processes, Compositions
for Use Therein, Consolidated Metal Powder Compositions, and Loose
Metal Particulate Mixtures, subclasses 228+, consolidated
metal powder compositions and subclasses 255+, loose metal
particulate mixtures.
(5) Class 420, Alloys or Metallic Compositions, claimed as
products.
(6) Class 148, Metal Treatment, subclasses 95-122, 194-287,
and 500-714, in class schedule order, providing for certain processes
of treating solid or semi-solid metal by modifying or maintaining
the internal physical structure (i.e., microstructure) or chemical
properties of metal, processes of reactive coating of metal or processes
of chemical-heat removing (e.g., flame-cutting etc.) or burning
of metal. However, if metal casting, fusion bonding, machining,
or working is involved, there is a requirement of significant heat
treatment as described in the Class 148 class definition.
(7) Class 148, Metal Treatment, subclasses 33+, barrier layer
stock material and subclasses 400+, stock.
(8) Class 75, subclasses 331+, processes of making solid
particulate alloys directly from liquid metal and subclasses 343+,
processes of producing or purifying alloys in powder form.
(9) Class 75, , subclasses 10.1+ and 10.67, processes
of making alloys by electrothermic, electromagnetic, or electrostatic
processes.
(10) Class 420, Alloys or Metallic Compositions, processes
of manufacture.
(11) Class 75, subclasses 330+, processes of making metal
and processes of treating liquid metals and liquid alloys and consolidating
metalliferous material.
(12) Class 204, Chemistry: Electrical and Wave Energy, processes.
(13) Class 164, Metal Founding, subclasses 1+, processes.
(14) Class 266, Metallurgical Apparatus, subclasses 44+,
processes of operating metallurgical apparatus.
This list is not complete and may be added to as the proper
relationship of other areas as determined.
Drying and Gas or Vapor Contact With Solids, appropriate subclass, for apparatus for contacting a solid
with a gas not elsewhere provided for: See especially
subclasses 576+ , for fluidized beds of granular material where
the fluidizing agent is a treating gas.
Metal Deforming, appropriate subclass, for a method or an apparatus
including a step of or a means for maintaining or modifying the
temperature of the work subjected to the metal shaping operation
where: (a) nominally recited means are provided to alter the temperature
of the work in some unspecified manner, (b) specific heating means
are provided which merely condition the work to perfect the shaping,
or (c) nominal annealing means are provided where the annealing
is for the purpose of relieving work stresses or to facilitate working.
Specialized Metallurgical Processes, Compositions
for Use Therein, Consolidated Metal Powder Compositions, and Loose
Metal Particulate Mixtures, appropriate subclasses for consolidating metalliferous
material, or extracting, refining or melting metals. See Lines With Other
Classes, above, for a list of superiority of this and other metal,
allow, and metal stock areas. classes.
Gas Separation: Apparatus, for apparatus for gas separation, per se (e.g.,
electrostatic precipitators, etc.). Because Class 96 is subcombinational
in character, the combination of a metallurgical treating apparatus
with a gas separation means will be found in Class 266.
Furnaces, appropriate subclass, for furnaces of general utility,
especially
subclasses 235+ , for incinerators for the disposal of waste material, which
incinerators may have structure to render a molten material, including
metals, disposable. Class 266 provides for furnaces specialized
for extracting a desired metallic constituent from a source of such
metal, which source could be waste material.
Coating Apparatus,
subclasses 58+ , for coating apparatus combined with heating means
for drying the coating or for effecting a metallurgical treatment,
e.g., annealing, of a coated article or of an article which is about
to be coated.
Liquid Heaters and Vaporizers,
subclass 6.6 , for tuyeres cooled by a liquid circulating in
a closed path, see subclass 270 of this class (266) for a further
statement of the line, and subclass 7, for waste heat boilers, per
se, or combined with a nominally recited converter and for hoods
which are cooled by a liquid circulating in a closed path.
Cleaning and Liquid Contact With Solids, appropriate subclass, for metal quenching apparatus, per
se. See the search note to 134 in
subclass 114 of this class (266) for a more complete statement
of the line between the classes.
Metal Treatment, appropriate subclasses for processes of treating
solid or semi-solid metal to modify or maintain the internal physical structure
(i.e., microstructure) or chemical property of metal and appropriate
subclasses for processes of chemical-heat removing (e.g., flame
cutting, etc.) or burning (i.e., oxidizing) of a metal workpiece.
While Class 266 provides for certain methods of operating a metallurgical
apparatus, it does not provide for a combined operation that includes
subject matter proper for Class 148.
Heat Exchange, appropriate subclasses, especially 9.1+,
for air heaters and other heat exchange devices which transfer heat
in an indirect manner, that is through a body or wall that physically
separates the fluids, or which employs a heat storing mass.
Conveyors: Power-Driven, appropriate subclass, for conveyors or for conveyors
combined with nominal treating apparatus, Class 198 provides for
cooling beds for metal bars, including those beds which have means
to turn the bars while they are being conveyed to keep the bars straight,
provided no additional treating structure is claimed in more than
a nominal fashion.
Distillation: Apparatus, appropriate subclass, for distilling apparatus not
elsewhere provided for. See the class definition of Class 202 for
a statement of the line between Class 202 and Class 266.
Classifying, Separating, and Assorting Solids, appropriate subclass, for nonchemical types of separation
employing the use of amalgams or magnet lines of force, and
subclass 11 and 182, for separating apparatus combined with
heating means.
Electric Heating, appropriate subclass, especially
subclasses 50+ , for electric heaters specialized to heat metal
objects. Patents which claim an electric heater combined with a quenching
device are placed as an original in Class 266 and are cross-referenced
into the appropriate heater subclass in Class 219.
Dispensing,
subclasses 591+ , especially subclasses 592+ for ladles
or tundishes used to dispense molten metals. Such dispensing vessels may
include means to treat the molten metal where such a treatment is
solely ancillary to and supportive of the dispensing operation, e.g.,
spout heaters to prevent clogging of the vessel outlet. If other
treating structure is provided, e.g., additional heater remote from
the outlet, or if the vessel is a metallurgical furnace, the patent
should be placed in this class (266).
Solid Material Comminution or Disintegration, appropriate subclass, especially
subclasses 65+ , for comminuting or disintegrating means, per se,
or combined with heating means which do not effect a change in the
chemical nature of the material being treated.
Plastic and Nonmetallic Article Shaping or Treating:
Processes,
subclass 30 , for methods of forming or repairing furnace linings
by shaping, e.g., molding, fluent refractory material.
Industrial Electric Heating Furnaces, for furnaces having specific electric heating means, except
as noted below, or for such furnaces combined with such additional
treating structure, e.g., condensers, as is provided for in Class
373. Class 266 takes patents having claims to electric furnaces
where no electric heating structure is recited and where that structure
would be useful in other types of metallurgical furnaces. Class
266 also provides for metallurgical furnaces having specific electric heating
means where additional means are recited for introducing reactant
materials, e.g., tuyeres.
Material or Article Handling,
subclasses 147+ for the combination of a chamber of a type utilized
for a heating function and material charging or discharging means
therefor. Specific furnace structure is included there (147+)
only when its sole purpose is to facilitate the movement of material
to or from the furnace.
Chemical Apparatus and Process Disinfecting, Deodorizing,
Preserving, or Sterilizing,
subclasses 255+ for apparatus not elsewhere provided for, for extracting
inorganic chemical elements or compounds from their source material.
Chemistry of Inorganic Compounds,
subclasses 210 through 215.5for processes modifying or chemically removing
a component of a normally gaseous mixture which may contain hazardous
or toxic waste.
Plastic Article or Earthenware Shaping or Treating:
Apparatus, appropriate subclass, especially
subclass 222 , for means to shape or agglomerate particles of
ore into pellets or balls which may be combined with additional
treating means to improve or complete the shaping, e.g., heaters,
other than sintering or indurating means, which merely dry or harden
the shaped article, and subclass 78, for means to form and sinter
a mass of powdered metal.
Stock Material or Miscellaneous Articles,
subclasses 544+ for stock material which is all metal or has adjacent
metal components, especially subclasses 546+ for such material
containing metal particles.
Heating, appropriate subclass, for heating apparatus of general
utility. Class 432 also takes reheat furnaces which elevate the
temperature of a metal object to facilitate some subsequent treatment
of the object, e.g., bending, provided that no means for providing
or circulating a treating or protecting gas is claimed. See the
search note to Class 266 in the class definitions for Class 432
for a further statement of the line between the two classes.
Hazardous or Toxic Waste Destruction or Containment,
subclasses 300 through 321for processes for the chemical destruction of non-gaseous
hazardous or toxic waste, and subclass 900 for a Cross Reference
Art Collection of apparatus.
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Methods of operating metallurgical apparatus which are solely
directed to those steps of operating such an apparatus which do
not effect a chemical or physical change in the work being treated.
(1)
Note. Examples of the types of methods to be found herein
are methods of cooling a furnace or some part thereof, a method
of operating tuyeres in a certain sequence where no metallurgical
action is attributable to such an operation, methods of plugging
furnaces and like treating vessels not elsewhere provided for, methods
of tapping a vessel, etc.
(2)
Note. Only those patents which contain claims to methods
not elsewhere provided for should be placed in this or the indented
subclasses as either an original or a cross-reference.
Specialized Metallurgical Processes, Compositions
for Use Therein, Consolidated Metal Powder Compositions, and Loose
Metal Particulate Mixtures, appropriate subclasses for methods of treating ores
extracting, refining or melting metals.
Metal Treatment, appropriate subclasses for processes of treating
solid or semi-solid metal to modify or maintain the internal physical
structure (i.e., microstructure) or chemical property of metal.
This subclass is indented under subclass 44. Method for maintaining the temperature of a metallurgical
apparatus or some portion thereof within a desired range.
This subclass is indented under subclass 44. Method for operating short tubular means adapted to be mounted
in wall of a metallurgical apparatus for injecting fluents therein.
MEANS FOR CUTTING SOLID METAL WITH HEAT, E.G., BLOWPIPES
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Device including means for severing a metal or removing
a portion thereof with a flame by supplying an excess of oxygen
to the heated metal.
Metal Treatment, appropriate subclasses for processes of chemical-heat removing
(e.g., flame cutting, etc.) or burning (i.e., oxidizing) of a metal workpiece.
Boring or Penetrating the Earth,
subclasses 11+ for a process or means for forming a hole in the
earth by directly applying heat to fluidize or comminute the material
forming the earth, and particularly subclass 14 for such process
or apparatus in which the heat is produced by combustion in a confined
chamber having a restricted orifice.
Fluid Sprinkling, Spraying, and Diffusing, appropriate subclass, for tips or nozzles which
dispense combustibles where no feature or structure is recited which
specializes the tip for cutting or burning.
This subclass is indented under subclass 48. Device including gas or liquid means for collecting or ensnaring
refuse material generated by the flame cutting of the workpiece.
This subclass is indented under subclass 48. Device including means for severing or removing a portion
of a workpiece as it emerges from a continuous casting facility.
Metal Treatment,
subclasses 194+ for processes of chemical-heat removing (e.g.,
flame cutting, etc.) or burning (i.e., oxidizing) which includes
desurfacing or gouging operations utilizing said chemical-heat removing.
This subclass is indented under subclass 51. Device including a multiplicity of cutting torches arranged
such that their flames concurrently impinge against plural faces
of an article to remove surface defects therefrom.
This subclass is indented under subclass 51. Device including a means adapted to engage the face of the
workpiece to position the torch means a predetermined distance therefrom.
Metal Treatment,
subclasses 194+ for processes of chemical-heat removing (e.g.,
flame cutting, etc.) or burning (i.e., oxidizing) which includes traversely
cutting metal tubes utilizing said chemical-heat removing.
This subclass is indented under subclass 54. Device including means to propel the severing means over
and around the peripheral surface of the tubular article.
This subclass is indented under subclass 48. Device having means for storing operating instructions which
means cause the cutting means to move in a predetermined path.
This subclass is indented under subclass 58. Device wherein the information storing means includes a
planer surface having a control pattern inscribed thereon and means
are provided to scan said surface to sense and follow the outline
of the pattern.
(1)
Note. Examples of devices to be found herein are devices
having photoelectric or magnetic reading heads which scan mechanical
drawings to follow lines drawn thereon.
This subclass is indented under subclass 58. Device including a means for holding the cutting means having
a plurality of segments pivotally joined to one another.
This subclass is indented under subclass 58. Device wherein the information storing means includes a
patterning cam which is located above and out of contact with the
piece to be cut.
This subclass is indented under subclass 48. Device wherein a lattice-type surface is provided which
holds the article to be cut against the effects of gravity.
This subclass is indented under subclass 48. Device wherein the torch includes means by which an operator
can engage the torch to manipulate and partially support the same
and wherein the supporting structure is adapted to travel upon the
surface of the work being cut.
This subclass is indented under subclass 67. Device including a means adapted to engage the face of the
workpiece to position the blow pipe a predetermined distance therefrom.
This subclass is indented under subclass 67. Device wherein the wheeled supporting means is adapted to
extend across the workpiece, having the supporting wheels engaging
surfaces adjacent to opposite sides of the workpiece.
This subclass is indented under subclass 48. Device wherein the cutting means is provided with supporting
structure which is adapted to entirely rest upon and be exclusively
sustained by a surface of the work.
This subclass is indented under subclass 48. Device wherein the cutting means is supported on a projecting
structure which is supported at only one end.
This subclass is indented under subclass 48. Device including means for controlling the position of the
cutting means with respect to the workpiece surface in response
to variations in the distance between the cutting means and said
surface.
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Device wherein the treating apparatus is provided with means
to regulate the operation of the apparatus which means react to
means which perceive a characteristic or a change in a characteristic
of either the treated material or the treating apparatus.
This subclass is indented under subclass 78. Device wherein the control means reacts to means measuring
a characteristic of a specimen taken from the work.
This subclass is indented under subclass 78. Device wherein a) the control means is responsive to means
which determine the chemical composition of the treated material
or a by-product of the treatment or b) information from the sensors
is fed to an information storage device wherein additional information
is determined which additional information is then utilized to control
the treatment.
(1)
Note. Servomechanisms, i.e., automatic control devices in
which the output is constantly or intermittently compared with the
input through feedback so that the error or difference between the
two quantities can be used to bring about the desired control, are
classified with their appropriate sensing devices.
This subclass is indented under subclass 78. Device wherein means are provided for the controlled addition
of a solid, liquid or gaseous substance to the treating apparatus,
which substance then reacts with the material contained therein.
This subclass is indented under subclass 81. Device wherein means are provided for proportioning the
supply of a multiplicity of streams based upon a condition sensed
in any of the streams or in the treating apparatus.
This subclass is indented under subclass 82. Device wherein the control means is responsive to means
which perceive the amount or volume of the fluent flowing through
the apparatus in a given time.
Fluid Handling,
subclasses 100+ , for fluid-handling systems having means to sense
differences between the rates of flow in a plurality of correlated flow
lines.
This subclass is indented under subclass 81. Device wherein means are provided for the control of a plurality
of fluent- supply means, each of which has a condition- responsive
flow regulating means therein, whereby the volume or flow rate of
each stream can be independently regulated in response to a sensed
condition.
This subclass is indented under subclass 81. Device wherein means are provided to control the attitude
or displacement of the means supplying the treating agent to the
treating apparatus, e.g., a lance height control apparatus.
This subclass is indented under subclass 87. Device wherein the control means is responsive to the sensed
temperature of a fluid, e.g., gas, liquid, bath of molten metal.
This subclass is indented under subclass 78. Device wherein the control means is responsive to a variation
in the force per unit area existing within the treating apparatus
or in lines connected thereto.
This subclass is indented under subclass 78. Device wherein the control means reacts to means sensing
a physical, chemical, or mechanical characteristic of the work.
This subclass is indented under subclass 90. Device wherein the control means is responsive to a) the
mass of treated material at a specified location on the treating
apparatus or b) the mass per unit volume of treated material at
a specified position in the treating apparatus.
This subclass is indented under subclass 92. Device wherein the control means is responsive to the entrance
or exit of the treated material from a particular position in the
apparatus.
(1)
Note. Devices which have means which sense the presence of
a workpiece which has been conveyed to the device and which means
actuate the device are classified herein.
This subclass is indented under subclass 93. Device wherein the control means is responsive to means
perceiving the surface of a molten material in a container.
WITH PROGRAMMED, CYCLIC, OR TIME RESPONSIVE CONTROL MEANS
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Device wherein the control means is provided with a) means
for storing coded instructions or other data necessary to regulate
the operation of the treating apparatus, b) means repetitively regulating
the sequence of operational steps performed in or by the treating apparatus
or, c) means for determining the time at which an operation occurs
or length of time taken to perform such an operation.
(1)
Note. The type of cyclic control to be found herein includes
limit switch arrangements of the interlock type which control the
sequence of operation based on the movement of apparatus elements to
specific locations, e.g., the closing or opening of a door, the
movement of a mud gun to an advanced position, etc.
Heating,
subclass 51 , for heating devices of general utility having
timing, programming or cyclic control means; further see the search
notes attached to subclass 51 for additional search areas.
This subclass is indented under subclass 96. Device wherein the control means is provided with means
for controlling the time at which an operation occurs or the length
of time in which said operation is performed.
This subclass is indented under subclass 97. Device wherein the timer includes a rotatable, cylindrical
or circular member and an associated information pick-up means,
which member is provided with means storing the information necessary
to control the operation of the apparatus such that control signals
are generated through the interaction of the rotated member and
the associated pick-up means.
WITH RECORDING, INDICATING, INSPECTION OR MEASURING MEANS
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Device wherein means are provided which a) automatically
make a permanent record of selected events occurring during the operation
of said device, b) display information concerning the condition
of the device or a material therein, c) provide for the examination of
selected portions of the device or material therein, or d) gauge
or otherwise determine a physical, chemical, or electrical characteristic or
property of the device or material therein.
Heating,
subclass 32 , for heating devices of general utility having
indicating, illuminating or inspection means; for additional search
areas, see the search notes attached to the subclass definition
of subclass 32.
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CLASS 266,![[List of Patents for class 266 subclass 44]](../ps.gif)
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