U.S. PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
Information Products Division |
U.S. Patent Classification System - Classification Definitions
as of June 30, 2000
Patents classified in a subclass may be accessed by either clicking on
the subclass number
preceding each subclass definition or on the
" " icon, below.
( please note that patents for some subclasses may not be available )
For classification search strategies, please refer to the
Classification Index
Explanation of Data web page.
(definitions have been obtained from the
Patents ASSIST CD-ROM which
is produced by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Electronic Products Branch)
Class 295
RAILWAY WHEELS AND AXLES
Class Definition:
Contains load carrying and traction wheels designed for use
on railway-track, axles for such wheels, and means for
securing such wheels and axles together. In the case of
mine-car axles the brackets or bearings for securing the
axles directly to the car-bottom without a truck-frame are
included in this class.
LINES WITH OTHER CLASSES AND WITHIN THIS CLASS
For wheels for panel hangers and travelers see Class 16,
Miscellaneous Hardware, subclass 107.
See Class 492, Rolls and Rollers, for rolls and rollers per
se, not elsewhere provided for, and see the Notes thereto for
other rolls.
SUBCLASSES
Subclass:
1
This subclass is indented under the class definition.
Arrangement and construction of railway-vehicle wheels not
otherwise classified below.
Subclass:
2
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Locomotive
drive-wheels embodying specific crank-pin construction or
arrangement.
Subclass:
3
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Railway-vehicle
wheels comprising an inner and an outer-rotating element
eccentrically arranged, the inner element supporting the axle
and weight of the load upon the outer element and the outer
element being adapted to run on the track-rails.
Subclass:
4
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Railway-vehicle
wheels the peripheries of which are provided with projecting
spurs cooperating with rack-bars arranged along the
trackway.
Subclass:
5
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Railway-vehicle
wheels having a gear-wheel rigidly attached to one side
thereof, whereby the motive force is transmitted directly to
the driving wheels.
Subclass:
6
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Locomotive
drive-wheels provided with weighted means for overcoming the
disturbing action of the reciprocating parts and eliminating
the so-called "hammer- blow" on the rails.
Subclass:
7
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Devices for
deadening or damping the noise on car-wheels.
SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
181, Acoustics, subclass 207 for devices for deadening
mechanical vibrating structure.
Subclass:
8
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Railway-vehicle
wheels consisting of concentric cast portions, either a rim
or tire having a body portion cast therein or a hub having a
rim or web portion cast thereon.
Subclass:
8.5
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Includes means
for changing the wheel-tread so as to adapt it for running on
a roadway or a railway, generally by providing a removable
rim or tread.
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
9.2 for a wheel having a flange moveable for road use.
Subclass:
9.1
Moveable flange:
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Device comprising
a railway-vehicle wheel protruding edge surface which holds
the wheel laterally in position on a railway track. The
protruding edge surface comprise or is carried by structure
facilitating movement of the edge surface relative to the
wheel.
(1) Note. The movement may be radial, axial, or revoluble.
Subclass:
9.2
Moveable for road use:
This subclass is indented under subclass 9.1. Device wherein
the relative movement between the edge surface and the wheel
is intended to enable operation of the wheel on a level,
nonrail surface such as a road.
(1) Note. The flange usually retracts within the diameter
of the wheel or yields to permit operation on a level,
nonrail surface.
(2) Note. Flanges which yield to permit a wheel to more
easily cross an obstruction are not included in this subclass
unless operation on a level, nonrail surface such as a road
is specified.
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
8.5 for wheels convertible between roads and rail use by
means other than a moveable flange.
Subclass:
10
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Railway-vehicle
wheels adapted for revolution independent of the car-axle by
means of an outer section or tire loosely mounted on the
wheel hub or body.
Subclass:
11
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Railway-vehicle
wheels not classified below in which a cushion or filler of
some elastic material as rubber, paper, or leather--is
inserted between the rim or tire and the wheel body or hub.
(1) Note. For similar devices for use with land vehicles,
see Class 152, Resilient Tires and Wheels.
Subclass:
12
This subclass is indented under subclass 11. Railway-vehicle
wheels having pneumatic devices for supporting the
wheel-tread portions.
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
30.1 for pneumatic tire wheels.
SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
492, Roll or Roller, subclasses 4+ for a roll, per se, not
elsewhere provided for, having an inflatable chamber.
Subclass:
13
This subclass is indented under subclass 11. Railway-vehicle
wheels having wooden blocks for supporting the wheel-tread
portions.
Subclass:
14
This subclass is indented under subclass 11. Railway-vehicle
wheels in which the cushioning effect is produced by
interposing metallic springs between the rim or tire and the
wheel body or hub.
SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
492, Roll or Roller, subclass 42 for a roll, per se, not
elsewhere provided for, having leaf or coil spring member.
Subclass:
15
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Railway-vehicle
wheels having the tires or rims and the body of the wheels
formed separately and specific means not otherwise classified
below for securing the tires and the bodies of the wheels
together.
Subclass:
16
This subclass is indented under subclass 15. Railway-vehicle
wheels having the tires or rims fastened to the wheel-body by
welding.
Subclass:
17
This subclass is indented under subclass 15. Railway-vehicle
wheels having the tires or rims and the body of the wheels
formed separately and secured together by mean of an
interposed filling of cast metal.
Subclass:
18
This subclass is indented under subclass 15. Railway-vehicle
wheels having the tires or rims and the body of the wheels
formed separately and secured together solely of means of
lugs formed integral with one member and engaging recesses or
integral lugs on the other member in interlocking relation.
Subclass:
19
This subclass is indented under subclass 15. Railway-vehicle
wheels having the tires or rims and the body of the wheels
formed separately and secured together by means by keys
passing transversely between and recessed in the tire and
wheel body at intervals around the circumference thereof.
Subclass:
20
This subclass is indented under subclass 15. Railway-vehicle
wheels having the tires or rims and the body of the wheels
formed separately and secured together by bolts passed
through the overlapped flanges of both members.
Subclass:
21
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Railway-vehicle
wheels embodying specific web construction not otherwise
classified below. Includes wooden and split casting web
construction.
Subclass:
22
This subclass is indented under subclass 21. Railway-vehicle
wheels in which the tires or rims and hub are connected by a
web portion composed of one or more sheet-metal disks and not
otherwise classified below.
Subclass:
23
This subclass is indented under subclass 22. Same as ...
except that there is a plurality of disks, with a filler
therebetween.
Subclass:
24
This subclass is indented under subclass 22. Railway-vehicle
wheels in which the tire or rim is formed integral with the
web, being pressed from a single sheet of metal.
Subclass:
25
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Railway-vehicle
wheels having the rims or tires and the wheel-hub formed
separately and connected by a series of spokes and not
otherwise classified below. Includes wooden and metallic
detachable spokes.
Subclass:
26
This subclass is indented under subclass 25. Railway-vehicle
wheels having the spokes secured in the wheel by casting the
hub or rim, or both, around the ends of the spokes.
Subclass:
27
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Railway-vehicle
wheels having the hub, web, and tire cast in one piece and
not otherwise classified.
Subclass:
28
This subclass is indented under subclass 27. Same as ...
except that the webs are cast hollow.
Subclass:
29
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Wrought-metal
car-wheels produced by some forging operation, as roll,
hammer, or die forging.
Subclass:
30
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Railway-car
wheels claimed significantly as to wheel structure and formed
from a composition metal or entirely from a single metal, but
treated so as to have different physical properties in the
different parts of the wheels, such as chill-hardened rims or
hubs.
(1) Note. Where the wheel is claimed with no significant
wheel structure but merely in terms of the composition or
material of which it is composed, it will be classified in
the appropriate composition or material class even though
there is no claim to the composition or material, per se. In
this connection the classes under the Search Class notes
below should be considered
SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
148, Metal Treatment, particularly subclass 569 and 581+ for
processes of metal casting, fusion bonding, machining, or
working combined with significant heat treatment of railway
wheels and axles to modify or maintain the internal physical
structure (i.e., microstructure) or chemical property of
metal. See the Class 148 definition to determine what
constitutes significant heat treatment. Without metal
casting, fusion bonding, ma-chining, or working, Class 148
will take any heat treatment to modify or maintain the
internal physical structure (i.e., microstructure) or
chemical property of metal.
420, Alloys or Metallic Compositions, for articles defined
solely by their metal or alloy composition.
428, Stock Material or Miscellaneous Articles, subclasses
544+ for wheels made of metal which are so broadly claimed
as to be merely stock material, especially subclasses 615+
for plural-layered metallic stock defined in terms of the
composition of its components.
Subclass:
30.1
Pneumatic tire wheel:
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Device wherein
the railway-vehicle wheel has a covering about its periphery
which covering rides directly on the railway track (i.e., a
tire) and it inflated with air under pressure.
(1) Note. Subject matter pertaining to a pneumatic tire
cushion for a railway-vehicle wheel is not included in this
subclass.
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
12 for pneumatic devices for supporting railway vehicle
wheel tread portions, wherein the pneumatic devices are
inserted between the rim or tire and the wheel body or hub.
Subclass:
31.1
Wheel tread:
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Device having
particular construction of a peripheral tread surface to the
railway-vehicle wheel, which surface rides on the railway
track.
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
30.1 for particular wheel tread construction of a pneumatic
tire railway-vehicle wheel.
Subclass:
32
This subclass is indented under subclass 31.1. Railway-car
running-gear in which the weight of the car is sustained by
roller-bearings. Includes roller-trucks in which a plurality
of roller-bearings or wheels linked together form one
flexible wheel traveling around a bed, and also wheels in
which the tread-surface or flange is provided with
roller-bearings.
Subclass:
33
This subclass is indented under subclass 31.1. Railway-car
wheels provided with a plurality of rim tread-surfaces.
Subclass:
34
This subclass is indented under subclass 31.1. Railway-car
wheels the tread surfaces of which are integral with the
wheel-body and the novelty of which resides in the specific
form or shape of said tread-surfaces.
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
30.1 for pneumatic-tire wheels which may include specific
pneumatic-tire forms or shapes.
Subclass:
35
This subclass is indented under subclass 1. Bearing linings
or bushings for railway-car wheels of the type which turn
loosely upon their axles.
Subclass:
36.1
AXLE:
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Device
comprising a shaft upon which a railway-vehicle wheel is
supported for rotation (i.e., a railway-car axle).
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
43 for means for attaching and maintaining a railway-vehicle
wheel on a railway-car axle for rotation with the axle.
subclasses 44+ for means for attaching and maintaining a
railway-vehicle wheel on a railway-car axle so as to adapt it
to rotate independently of the axle.
SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
105, Railway Rolling Stock, subclass 218.1 for railway
vehicle truck axle box mountings.
301, Land Vehicles: Wheels and Axles, subclass 124.1 for
axles under that class definition.
384, Bearings, appropriate subclasses for bearings which may
support a railway-car axle. See, for example, subclass 459
for radial, railway car journal bearings; subclasses 594 and
595+ for railway truck thrust bearings. See section 2, Note
(1) and the Search Notes under the class definition of Class
384 with regard to the lines between Classes 384 and 295.
464, Rotary Shafts, Gudgeons, Housings, and Flexible
Couplings for Rotary Shafts, subclasses 179+ for a rotary
torque transmitting shaft.
Subclass:
37
This subclass is indented under subclass 36.1. Railway-car
axles consisting of a stud-section inclosed in a
sleeve-section and adapted to revolve therein, each section
having a car-wheel secured to its outer end.
Subclass:
38
This subclass is indented under subclass 36.1. Railway-car
axles divided into two sections, each carrying a car-wheel on
the outer end thereof and having the inner ends journaled in
a single fixed bearing between the wheels and adapted for
revolution independent of each other.
Subclass:
39
This subclass is indented under subclass 36.1. Railway-car
axles divided into sections and means not otherwise
classified below for coupling the sections together and
adapting them for revolution independent of each other.
Subclass:
40
This subclass is indented under subclass 39. Same as ... in
which the coupling means consist of flanged elements
surrounding the axle-sections and secured together by bolts
passing through the flanges thereof.
Subclass:
41
This subclass is indented under subclass 36.1. Railway-car
axles adapted to be secured directly to the car-body.
Subclass:
42
This subclass is indented under subclass 41. Brackets for
mine-car axles adapted to surround the axle and support it
directly from the car-body.
Subclass:
42.1
Positioned around or within co-extensive axle or housing by
roller or ball bearing:
This subclass is indented under subclass 36.1. Device wherein
the railway-vehicle wheel supporting shaft surrounds or is
surrounded by a second shaft or shaft enclosure along its
substantial length. The wheel supporting shaft and the
second shaft or shaft enclosure are held and allowed to
rotate relative to each other means for a support (bearing)
between them which support contains spherical or cylindrical
rotating elements which reduce friction.
(1) Note. A device comprising a mere journal bearing which
encircles and supports a portion of a shaft is not included
in this subclass.
(2) Note. A railway-car axle comprising a stud section
enclosed and revolving within a sleeve section, each section
having a car-wheel secured to its outer end, is not included
in this subclass.
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
37 for a railway-car axle comprising a stud section enclosed
and revolving within a sleeve section, each section having a
car-wheel secured to its outer end.
Subclass:
42.2
With specified end cap fastening means:
This subclass is indented under subclass 36.1. Device
comprising, in particular, a stop member and means to secure
the stop member to an end of the shaft.
(1) Note. The stop member usually maintains a bearing means
in position on the axle.
(2) Note. Railway axle end-cap locking plates which prevent
end-cap securement nuts or bolts from loosening are included
in this subclass.
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
subclasses 49+ means for preventing end-cap securement nuts
or bolts from loosening are included in this subclass.
SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
411, Expanded, Threaded, Driven, Headed, Tool-Deformed, or
Locked-Threaded Fastener, subclasses 81+ for threaded
fastener locking means.
Subclass:
43
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Means
for attaching and maintaining the car-wheel on the axle so as
to adapt it to revolve with the axle.
SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
403, Joints and Connections, appropriate subclasses,
particularly subclasses 230+ for a joint between a wheel
and axle which involves only so much wheel or axle structure
as is necessary to effect the joint.
Subclass:
44
This subclass is indented under the class definition. Means
for attaching and maintaining the car-wheel on the axle so as
to adapt it to revolve independently of the axle and not
otherwise classified below.
SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
301, Land Vehicles: Wheels and Axles, subclass 111, and
indented subclasses.
403, Joints and Connections, appropriate subclasses
particularly subclasses 230+ for a joint between a wheel or
axle including only such structure as is necessary to effect
the joint.
411, Expanded, Threaded, Driven, Headed, Tool-Deformed, or
Locked-Threaded Fastener, subclasses 337+ for headed
fasteners with securing elements; and subclasses 511+ for
securing elements, per se.
Subclass:
45
This subclass is indented under subclass 44. Means, in which
the wheel is prevented from moving longitudinally of the axle
by means of an overhanging ring or lip on the axle-bracket
engaging an annular recess in the outer surface of the
wheel-hub.
Subclass:
46
This subclass is indented under subclass 45. Means wherein
the axle- bracket forms in combination with the hub- groove,
a substantially circular annular recess in which
roller-bearings are imposed.
Subclass:
47
This subclass is indented under subclass 44. Means, in which
the wheel is prevented from moving longitudinally of the axle
by means of rings, segmental collars, or roller-bearings in
the wheel-hub engaging annular recesses in the car-axle.
Subclass:
48
This subclass is indented under subclass 47. Means wherein
the longitudinal movement is prevented by a bolt or pin
extending tangentially or radially into the axle-groove and
providing a thrust-bearing for the wheel.
Subclass:
49
This subclass is indented under subclass 44. Means, in which
the longitudinal movement of the wheel is prevented by an
end-stop member not otherwise classified below, such as a
nut, rigid collar, or cap provided on the axle and bearing
against the outside surface of the wheel-hub.
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
42.2 for specified axle end-cap fastening means.
Subclass:
50
This subclass is indented under subclass 49. Means, wherein
the end stop member is held in place on the axle by means of
a linch or cotter pin passing through the axle.
Information Products Division -- Contacts
Questions regarding this report should be directed to:
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Information Products Division
PK3- Suite 441
Washington, DC 20231
tel: (703) 306-2600
FAX: (703) 306-2737
email: oeip@uspto.gov
Last Modified: 6 October 2000