U.S. PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
Information Products Division
[Manual of Classification, Class Listing] [Manual of Classification, Class 196] [Classification Definitions, Class Listing] [USPTO Home Page]

U.S. Patent Classification System - Classification Definitions
as of June 30, 2000

[Explanation of Data]

Patents classified in a subclass may be accessed by either clicking on the subclass number
preceding each subclass definition or on the " [Patents] " 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 196

MINERAL OILS: APPARATUS


Class Definition:
This class relates to apparatus for treating, refining, or recovering mineral oils such as petroleum, coal tar, pitch, asphalt or related products, not elsewhere classified. Included specifically in this class are apparatus for dewaxing, solvent extraction or refining of such mineral oils as well as stills designed for mineral oil distillation and condensers peculiarly adapted and limited to the mineral oil art.

REFERENCES TO OTHER CLASSES

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
15, Brushing, Scrubbing, and General Cleaning, 104.011, 104.02 and 104.03 for implements there provided for which are used for removing carbon and which are not claimed as being permanently associated with the vaporizing apparatus but may be applied to other chambers.
34, Drying and Gas or Vapor Contact With Solids, subclass 72 for apparatus therein provided for combined with means to recover vapors or other substances from gases.
48, Gas: Heating and Illuminating, appropriate subclass for apparatus for converting mineral oil to gases (e.g., by cracking).
62, Refrigeration, particularly subclass 93, 272, and 900 for processes and apparatus for separating vapors from gases by refrigeration.
96, Gas Separation: Apparatus, for apparatus for gas separation, in general, even though disclosed or claimed for separating mineral oil vapors from hydrocarbon gases or combined with broadly recited means for recovering the mineral oil after separation.
100, Presses, appropriate subclasses for presses not elsewhere provided for and particularly subclass 104 for presses with drain means for expressed liquid.
110, Furnaces, for miscellaneous furnace structure.
122, Liquid Heaters and Vaporizers, appropriate subclass for liquid heaters and vaporizers of general application.
137, Fluid Handling, for fluid feeding and handling not elsewhere provided for, particularly subclass 386 for liquid level responsive flow control.
159, Concentrating Evaporators.
165, Heat Exchange, appropriate subclasses for a heat exchanger not limited to the mineral oil art.
166, Wells, appropriate subclass for apparatus for treating oil or oil bearing mineral while in the ground.
201, Distillation: Processes, Thermolytic, appropriate subclasses for a process of producing coke from solid carbonaceous material and a mineral oil distillate.
202, Distillation: Apparatus, appropriate subclass for apparatus involving distillation of general utility or which may be used to treat mineral oils among other materials. Also apparatus for distilling solid carbonaceous materials is found in Class 202.
203, Distillation: Processes, Separatory, appropriate subclass, for a process involving distillation of general utility or which may treat mineral oils among other materials.
204, Chemistry: Electrical and Wave Energy, appropriate subclass for apparatus for treating mineral oils involving more than the mere thermal effects of the electrical or wave energy.
208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products, for processes of treating, refining or recovering mineral oils and for mineral oil products.
210, Liquid Purification or Separation, for processes and apparatus for separating liquids including mineral oils involving no chemical treatment of the mineral oil.
219, Electric Heating, for electric heaters which may be used for heating oil.
236, Automatic Temperature and Humidity Regulation, appropriate subclasses, for means for automatically maintaining desired temperatures or humidity.
366, Agitating, for means to cause fluid materials to be commingled.
261, Gas and Liquid Contact Apparatus, appropriate subclasses for gas-liquid scrubbing devices.
299, Mining or In Situ Disintegration of Hard Material, for a process or apparatus for treating oil or oil bearing minerals while in situ in a tunnel or excavation.
422, Chemical Apparatus and Process Disinfecting, Deodorizing, Preserving, or Sterilizing, subclass 256 and 261 for extracting apparatus; and subclasses 171, 177, 191, and 211 for catalytic apparatus.
431, Combustion, appropriate subclass for residual combustion apparatus.
435, Chemistry: Molecular Biology and Microbiology, appropriate subclass for apparatus specialized for use in making, separating, or purifying mineral oils or hydrocarbons by operations that include fermentations.
494, Imperforate Bowl: Centrifugal Separators, appropriate subclasses, for apparatus for breaking up a mixture of fluids or fluent substances into two or more components by centrifuging within a generally solid-walled, receptacle-like member.
516, Colloid Systems and Wetting Agents; Subcombinations Thereof; Processes of Making, Stabilizing, Breaking, or Inhibiting, 135 for processes of or compositions for or subcombination compositions for the breaking of or inhibiting of emulsion colloid systems, when generically claimed or when there is no hierarchically superior provision in the USPC for the specifically claimed art, including breaking petroleum emulsion when there is no additional treatment of the petroleum.
585, Chemistry of Hydrocarbon Compounds, appropriate subclasses for processes of preparing, recovering or purifying hydrocarbons of known composition.


SUBCLASSES


Subclass: 14.5 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under the class definition. Apparatus for separating wax from a petroleum oil to either recover the wax or purify the oil.
(1) Note. Most of the patents in this subclass include apparatus for solvent treating the oil combined with some additional step such as chilling, or apparatus for sweating the oil out of the wax.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
14.52 for apparatus for separating mineral oils by solvent extraction. Apparatus for separation of wax from mineral oil by solvent extraction is in this subclass (14.5).
46 for apparatus for separating impurities or nonmineral materials from mineral oils.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
62, Refrigeration, appropriate subclass, for refrigeration
processes and apparatus even though employed for separating wax from mineral oil.
100, Presses, appropriate subclasses, for presses not elsewhere provided for. Note particularly subclass 104 for presses having a drain duct or channel for liquid expressed from the material pressed.
208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products, subclass 24 for processes of separating paraffin waxes from mineral oils.
210, Liquid Purification or Separation, appropriate subclasses, especially subclass 175 and 774 for separating processes and apparatus involving the use of heaters or coolers.
494, Imperforate Bowl: Centrifugal Separators, appropriate subclasses for a separator of that class, as explained is the search note to that class appearing in the definition of this class (196).

Subclass: 14.52 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under the class definition. Apparatus especially adapted for the solvent extraction of mineral oils.
(1) Note. The apparatus classified herein is adapted to the separation of mineral oils of natural origin into its component fractions as well as the separation of undesirable nonmineral oil components from mineral oils by use of solvents.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
14.52 for apparatus for dewaxing mineral oils which may be by solvent extraction.
46 for apparatus for refining mineral oils by reacting with chemicals to separate nonmineral oil components therefrom.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products, subclass 311 for processes of extracting mineral oils with solvents.
422, Chemical Apparatus and Process Disinfecting, Deodorizing, Preserving, or Sterilizing, 255 for extraction apparatus in general.

Subclass: 46 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under the class definition. Apparatus peculiarly adapted for the separation of impurities or nonmineral oil components from mineral oils.
(1) Note. The apparatus classified herein provides for the most part for apparatus for treating mineral oils with chemicals to separate or remove nonmineral oil components therefrom.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
14.5 for apparatus used to dewax mineral oils.
14.52 for apparatus specially adapted to extract mineral oils with solvents.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
62, Refrigeration, appropriate subclass, for apparatus for refining by refrigeration alone.
96, Gas Separation: Apparatus, for apparatus for gas separation.
201, Distillation: Processes, Thermolytic, appropriate subclass, for a thermolytic distillation process including recovery of oil.
202, Distillation: Apparatus, for apparatus for separating components of a nonmineral oil mixture by distillation.
203, Distillation: Processes, Separatory, appropriate subclass, for a process of separating components of a nonmineral oil mixture by distillation.
208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products, subclass 177 for processes of refining mineral oils.
210, Liquid Purification or Separation, appropriate subclass for processes and apparatus for purifying nonmineral oil liquids and for filters and decanting devices.
261, Gas and Liquid Contact Apparatus, appropriate subclass, for gas-liquid scrubbing devices.
422, Chemical Apparatus and Process Disinfecting, Deodorizing, Preserving, or Sterilizing, subclass 252 for chemical apparatus in general.
494, Imperforate Bowl: Centrifugal Separators, appropriate subclasses, for a separator of that class, as explained in the search note to that class appearing in the definition of this class (196).

Subclass: 46.1 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 46. Apparatus which also includes filtering means.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
210, Liquid Purification or Separation, for filters and for processes of filtering mineral oil, per se.

Subclass: 98 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under the class definition. Apparatus comprising the combination of a vaporizer and a condenser where that apparatus is peculiar to the art of mineral-oil distillation.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
202, Distillation: Apparatus, for similar apparatus for distilling other materials.
208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products, subclass 92, 100 and 347 for mineral oil distillation processes.

Subclass: 99 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 98. The combination of a vaporizer with a condenser, usually a dephlegmator or fractionating column, provided with means for returning part or all of the condensate from the condenser to the vaporizer.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
139 for dephlegmator or fractionating columns alone.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
201, Distillation: Processes, Thermolytic subclass 29, for a thermolytic distillation process including the step of returning a volatile to the carbonization zone.
202, Distillation: Apparatus, subclass 152, for separatory distillation apparatus including the combination of a
vaporizer, a condenser and means for returning at least a part of the condensate from the condenser to the vaporizer.
203, Distillation: Processes, Separatory, subclass 75, 78, 82, 84, 93, 97, and 98, for a separatory distillation process including the step of returning a condensate to a distillation zone.

Subclass: 100 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 99. Fractionating columns provided with heating means for causing vaporization of the liquid-mineral-oil- feeding stock.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
139 for columns which are heated merely by hot vapors that are treated and which are generated in a separate vaporizer.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
202, Distillation: Apparatus, appropriate subclasses, particularly subclass 153, for separatory distillation apparatus including association of still and fractionating column.
260, Chemistry of Carbon Compounds, appropriate subclasses.

Subclass: 102 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 98. Vaporizing apparatus containing some means for causing condensation within the vaporizer or for collecting condensate formed within the condenser.

Subclass: 103 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 98. Vaporizing apparatus having heads or domes that are provided with means for condensing, filtering, or otherwise treating vapors from the vaporizer.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
122, Liquid Heaters and Vaporizers, subclass 508.
159, Concentrating Evaporators, subclass 31.
165, Heat Exchange, appropriate subclasses for a heat exchanger not limited to the mineral oil art.

Subclass: 104 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under the class definition. Vaporizing apparatus peculiarly designed for use in the distillation of mineral oils.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
48, Gas: Heating and Illuminating.
122, Liquid Heaters and Vaporizers.
159, Concentrating Evaporators. 165, Heat Exchange, appropriate subclasses, for a heat exchanger of general application.
202, Distillation: Apparatus, subclass 152 and 232, for distillation apparatus in which the distilland is vaporized.
203, Distillation: Processes, Separatory, appropriate subclasses for a process of vaporizing a liquid.

Subclass: 105 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. A plurality of interconnected mineral-oil vaporizers,.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
111 for vaporizers provided with baffles.

Subclass: 106 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 105. A plurality of mineral-oil vaporizers connected in series, so that the oil being distilled passes from one vaporizer to the next.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
159, Concentrating Evaporators, subclass 17.1.
202, Distillation: Apparatus, subclass 173, for a separatory distillation system having a plurality of stills in series.
203, Distillation: Processes, Separatory, subclass 71, for a separatory distillation process including a series of distillation steps.
208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products, subclass 49 and subclass 350 for processes including plural serial stages of mineral oil conversions or distillations, respectively.

Subclass: 107 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Vaporizing compressing heating tubes or coils for heating the mineral-oil and a drum or expansion chamber connected to the tube or drum. An expansion valve may or may not be placed between the tube and drum, and the drum may or may not be heated.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
110 for tubular vaporizers.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
122, Liquid Heaters and Vaporizers, subclass 40 and 235.11+.
159, Concentrating Evaporators, subclass 2.
208, Minerals Oils: Processes and Products, subclass 131 for processes of cracking mineral oils employing this type of apparatus.

Subclass: 108 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 107. Vaporizers, having a means for returning the oil from the drum back to the tube for retreatment.

Subclass: 109 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 108. Vaporizers, wherein a part at least of the drum is placed vertically above a part of the tube.

Subclass: 110 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Vaporizers, for mineral-oil distillation that are tubular and usually of comparatively small cross section.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
107 for tube and drum type of vaporizer.

Subclass: 111 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Vaporizers having therein one or more partitions or baffles either placed in the vapor space to separate it into a plurality of chambers or placed in the liquid space to cause the liquid oil to follow a tortuous path through the vaporizer.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
128 for vaporizers having baffles to cause the oil to flow in films.

Subclass: 112 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Vaporizers mounted so as to permit their rotation.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
122, Liquid Heaters and Vaporizers, subclass 11 and 12.
159, Concentrating Evaporators, subclass 6.1.
202, Distillation: Apparatus, subclass 238, for separatory distillation apparatus in which the still is mounted upon an axis and rotated or tilted during distillation.

Subclass: 114 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Vaporizers adapted for the distillation of mineral-oils under reduced pressure.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
159, Concentrating Evaporators, subclass 17.1.
208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products, subclass 357 and 366 for processes of distilling mineral oil under reduced pressure.

Subclass: 115 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Vaporizers having peculiar or nonconventional shapes.

Subclass: 116 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. The combination of a furnace with a mineral-oil vaporizer where the combination is designed to solve a problem peculiar to the art of mineral-oil distillation.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
110, Furnaces, for miscellaneous furnace structure alone.
122, Liquid Heaters and Vaporizers, for the combination of furnace with a closed liquid heater and vaporizer of general application.
126, Stoves and Furnaces, subclasses 344-363.1 for a liquid heater that may include a kettle, a steam generator, stove pipe for use with a stove, a domestic water heater or boiler (e.g., kitchen boiler, range boiler, etc.) for use with a stove or furnace.
264, Plastic and Nonmetallic Article Shaping or Treating: Processes, subclass 30 for furnace lining formation or repair and see the notes thereto.

Subclass: 117 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 116. The combination of furnace with mineral-oil vaporizer having flues for combustion gases passing through the vaporizer.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
122, Liquid Heaters and Vaporizers, subclass 44.1 and 135.1.
159, Concentrating Evaporators, 28.1 and 40.

Subclass: 118 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Mineral-oil vaporizers having therein baths that are liquid, but substantially nonvolatile at the vaporizing temperature employed. Such material may be metal, fusible salts, or heavy hydrocarbons.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
48, Gas: Heating and Illuminating, subclass 92.

Subclass: 119 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Mineral-oil vaporizers that are provided with jackets around at least part of their periphery. These jackets may be for the purpose of heating, cooling, or heat insulating the vaporizer.

Subclass: 120 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Mineral-oil vaporizers provided with heating means other than furnaces, liquid baths, jackets, or other conventional heating means.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
165, Heat Exchange, appropriate subclasses for a heat exchanger, per se.

Subclass: 121 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 120. Mineral-oil vaporizers heated in part at least by electric heaters.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
48, Gas: Heating and Illuminating, subclass 65 and 103.
392, Electric Resistance Heating Devices, 386 for electrically heated vaporizer structure.

Subclass: 122 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Mineral-oil vaporizers provided with means for removing carbon from the oil or from the vaporizer.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
124 for vaporizers with mechanical agitators or circulators.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
15, Brushing, Scrubbing, and General Cleaning, 104.011, 104.02 and 104.03, or Class 414, Material or Article Handling, subclass 291, and other appropriate subclasses, for carbon removing devices which are not claimed as being permanently associated with the vaporizing apparatus but may be applied to other chambers.
122, Liquid Heaters and Vaporizers, subclass 379.
201, Distillation: Processes, Thermolytic, subclass 2, for a thermolytic distillation process including the step of removing adhering carbon from the apparatus.
202, Distillation: Apparatus, subclass 241, for distilling apparatus including means for cleaning and decarbonizing or preventing the fouling of the retort or still or the tubes of the heating system therefore.
208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products, subclass 48.

Subclass: 123 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Mineral-oil vaporizers provided with means for causing or directing the circulation or agitation of the oil.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
122, Liquid Heaters and Vaporizers, subclass 379 and 406.1.
165, Heat Exchange, subclass 108 for a heat exchanger with means directing recirculation, and subclass 109.1 for a heat exchanger with an agitator.
208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products, subclass 367 for distillation processes with agitation.
366, Agitating, appropriate subclasses.

Subclass: 124 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 123. Mineral-oil vaporizers provided with moving or rotating mechanical means for causing or directing the circulation or agitation of the oil.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
122 for means for removing carbon combined with vaporizer.

Subclass: 125 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 123. Mineral-oil vaporizer provided with baffles to cause the oil to cyclically circulate in a definite path.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
111 for baffles or partitions to cause the oil to pass through the vaporizer in a tortuous path.

Subclass: 126 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 123. Mineral-oil vaporizers provided with means for injecting a gas, vapor, or liquid to cause circulation or agitation of the oil in a definite predetermined manner.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
127 for fluid injectors not designed or placed primarily to cause a definite path of circulation or agitation.

Subclass: 127 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Mineral-oil vaporizers provided with means for injecting gas, vapor, or liquid into the oil being distilled.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
126 for fluid injectors which cause a definite circculation or agitation of the oil.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
122, Liquid Heaters and Vaporizers, 5.51.
159, Concentrating Evaporators, subclass 16.1.
208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products, subclass 125, 128, 356 and 362 for processes for mineral oil treatment involving injecting a gas, vapor or liquid.
261, Gas and Liquid Contact Apparatus, appropriate subclass.

Subclass: 128 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Mineral-oil vaporizers having means for causing the oil being distilled to assume the form of a film or spray.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
122, Liquid Heaters and Vaporizers subclass 39, and subclass 501.
159, Concentrating Evaporators, subclass 3 and 5.
239, Fluid Sprikling, Spraying, and Diffusing, appropriate subclasses for nozzle devices, per se, especially subclass 193 for weir type discharge means discharging a film or curtain or fluid.

Subclass: 129 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Mineral-oil vaporizers having tubes or legs projecting from the main body of the vaporizer down into the furnace, the ends of the tubes so projecting being closed.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
107 for heating tubes one end of which is connected with a vaporizer and the other end of which is connected either with a source of supply of oil or with the vaporizer.
110 for vaporizers consisting entirely of tubular elements.

Subclass: 130 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Mineral-oil vaporizers that have bottoms of peculiar shape, construction, or position.

Subclass: 131 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 130. Mineral-oil vaporizers whose bottoms are not subjected to the direct heating action of the furnace or other heating means, usually for the purpose of avoiding the caking of precipitated carbon.

Subclass: 132 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Mineral-oil vaporizers provided with means for automatically maintaining desired conditions, usually the temperature, constant within the vaporizer.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
141 for condensing apparatus with similar automatic means.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
122, Liquid Heaters and Vaporizers, subclass 448.1 and 449.
165, Heat Exchange, 200 for automatic control of a heat exchhanger of general utility.
201, Distillation: Processes, Thermolytic, subclass 1 for a thermolytic distillation process combined with the positive step of determining some characteristic of the distilland, vapor, residue or condensate.
202, Distillation: Apparatus, subclass 160 for a column having automatic temperature and/or pressure control.
203, Distillation: Proceesses, Separatory, subclass 1, for a separatory distillation process including determining a characteristic or condition in the system.
236, Automatic Temperature and Humidity Regulation, appropriate subclasses.

Subclass: 133 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Mineral-oil vaporizers having some special feature of construction not otherwise provided for.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
52, Static Structures (e.g., Buildings), subclass 192 for an in situ constructed type container or hopper, per se, having a material port.

Subclass: 134 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Mineral-oil vaporizers having means for preheating the incoming oil by the heat of the vapors or the unvaporized residue of distillation.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
159, Concentrating Evaporators, subclass 24.1 and 46.
165, Heat Exchange, subclass 66 for apparatus for exchanging heat between the supply and exhaust lines of a heated or cooled vessel.
201, Distillation: Processes, Thermolytic, subclass 14 for heating the carbonaceous material by indirect heat exchange with a conversion product of the carbonization step.
202, Distillation: Apparatus, subclass 150, 159 and 177, for distillation apparatus combined with a preheater.
203, Distillation: Processes, Separatory, in which the feed is indirectly heated by recovered heat.

Subclass: 135 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Special means for feeding the oil to the vaporizer,.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
137, Fluid Handling, for fluid feeding and handling not otherwise provided for, particularly subclass 386 for liquid level responsive flow control.
159, Concentrating Evaporators, subclass 43.1.

Subclass: 136 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Special constructions for vapor outlets.

Subclass: 137 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 104. Miscellaneous attachments for mineral-oil vaporizers.

Subclass: 138 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under the class definition. Apparatus for condensing mineral-oil vapors which by construction and operation is peculiar to this art.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
165, Heat Exchange, appropriate subclasses, for a heat exchanger not specialized to condesing mineral-oil vapor.
202, Distillation: Apparatus, appropriate subclasses, for distillation apparatus particularly subclass 185.1.
208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products subclass 347 for distillation of mineral oils.

Subclass: 139 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 138. Condensing apparatus, peculiar to this art, generally known in the art as dephlegmators or fractionating columns, where the condensate formed in cooler zone is reheated and partially revaporized by vapors in a hotter zone.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
100 for similar devices combined with combined condensing and vaporizing apparatus.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
201, Distillation: Processes, Thermolytic, appropriate subclasses, particularly subclass 30, for a proocess of fractioonally condensing removed vapor.
202, Distillation: Apparatus, subcalsses 153 and 158, for distillation apparatus including a fractionating column, and subclass 179 and 198 for distillation apparatus including a dephlegmator.
203, Distillation: Processes, Separatory, subclass 22 and 87, for a distillation process in which tthe distillation process in which the vapor is in indirect heat exchange with the feed or the vapor is fractionally condensed.
260, Chemistry of Carbon Compounds, appropriate subclasses.
261, Gas and Liquid Contact Apparatus, appropriate subclasses.

Subclass: 140 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 138. Condensing apparatus peculiar to this art where the vapors are brought in direct contact with a cooling liquid, usually water.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
261, Gas and Liquid Contact Apparatus, appropriate
subclasses.

Subclass: 141 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under subclass 138. Apparatus for condensing mineral-oil vapors provided with means for automatically controlling the temperature of condensation.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
165, Heat Exchange, 281 ; 287+ for heat exchange means with automatic temperature or pressure control.
236, Automatic Temperature and Humidity Regulation, appropriate subclasses.

Subclass: 155 [Patents]

This subclass is indented under the class definition. Apparatus not provided for specifically above.
(1) Note. Many of the patents classified in this subclass are for apparatus for recovering mineral oils from natural or converted gases.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS:
62, Refrigeration, appropriate subclasses, for processes and apparatus for separating vapors from gases by refrigeration (e.g., liquefaction, gas compression).
96, Gas Separation: Apparatus, for apparatus for gas separation where the recovery of the mineral oil after separation is not included or is recited only broadly.
208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products, subclass 340 for processes of separating mineral oils from natural or converted gases including specific recovery of the mineral oil vapor.


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


[Top] [Manual of Classification, Class Listing] [Manual of Classification, Class 196] [Classification Definitions, Class Listing] [USPTO Home Page]

Last Modified: 6 October 2000