CPC Definition - Subclass B03B

Last Updated Version: 2023.02
SEPARATING SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATIC TABLES OR JIGS
Definition statement

This place covers:

Apparatus for separating or classifying or washing granular powdered or lumpy solid materials of different physical properties such as size, shape or specific gravity.

Relationships with other classification places

Separation of isotopes of the same chemical element is covered by B01D 59/00 regardless of the process or apparatus that is used.

Crushing or disintegrating is covered by B02C.

Centrifuges or vortex apparatus for carrying out physical processes are covered by B04B and B04C.

References
Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

Separation in general

B01D

Separation of suspended solid particles from liquids by sedimentation

B01D 21/00

Magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high voltage electric fields

B03C

Flotation or differential sedimentation

B03D

Separating by dry methods

B07

Screening or sifting

B07B

Selective separation of solid materials carried by or dispersed in gas currents, using centrifugal force

B07B 7/08

Separating by picking

B07C

Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics; Separating plastics from other materials

B29B 17/02

Glossary of terms

In this place, the following terms or expressions are used with the meaning indicated:

Jig

An apparatus for cleaning or separating solid particles (ore, coal etc.) by agitation in a fluid, e.g. water, where the layer or bed of particles are supported on a perforated plate or screen is subjected to an alternating rising and falling (pulsating) flow of the fluid

Vanner

An apparatus for cleaning or separating solid particles (ore, coal etc.) by an inclined belt

Sluice

An apparatus for cleaning or separating solid particles (ore, coal etc.) by an inclined trough with riffles at the bottom to retain the heavy minerals

Strake

An apparatus for cleaning or separating solid particles (ore, coal etc.) by a finely riffled sluice in which fabrics or corrugated rubber forms pockets to trap heavy mineral

Heavy media

Liquids or suspensions of particles in water used for sink-float separation

Conditioning for facilitating separation by altering physical properties of the matter to be treated
Definition statement

This place covers:

Pre-treatment, like heating, cooling, exposing to radiation, adding additives, varying physical properties, of the material prior to physical separation carried out by methods and devices of this subclass.

References
Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

Pre-treatment prior to magnetic separation

B03C 1/00

Pre-treatment prior to flotation

B03D

Pre-treatment of ores in general

C22B

Separating by pneumatic tables or by pneumatic jigs
Definition statement

This place covers:

Separating or classifying materials on stationary, swinging, shaking, rotary or belt-like tables and using a continuous or pulsating gas current.

References
Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

Sink-float separation using dry heavy media

B03B 5/46

Separating solids from solids by subjecting their mixture to gas currents while the mixtures are supported by sieves, screens, or like mechanical elements and material is passing through the sieve, screen or the like

B07B 4/08

using rotary tables or tables formed by travelling belts
References
Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

Separating solids from solids using gas currents and revolving drums

B07B 4/06

Washing granular, powdered or lumpy materials; Wet separating (separating by pneumatic tables or by pneumatic jigs B03B 4/00)
Definition statement

This place covers:

Washing in order to separate fine particles, especially organic particles from coarse particles. Apparatus for classifying solids by wet methods.

References
Limiting references

This place does not cover:

Separating by pneumatic tables or by pneumatic jigs

B03B 4/00

Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

Separation of suspended solid particles from liquids by sedimentation

B01D 21/00

Flotation

B03D

Dry helical separators

B07B 13/11

Sewerage structures; Devices for separating liquid or solid substances from sewage, e.g. sand or sludge traps, rakes or grates

E03F 5/14

Investigating or analysing materials by separation into components; Field flow fractionation

G01N 30/0005

using centrifugal force
Definition statement

This place covers:

Apparatus and methods using centrifugal force for separation, e.g. by utilizing centrifuges or hydrocyclones (cf. B03B 5/34), not necessarily using special heavy liquids or suspensions.

Relationships with other classification places

Documents with special technical features relating to a centrifuge are additionally classified in B04B. Documents with special technical features relating to a hydrocyclone are additionally classified in B04C.

References
Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

Separation of suspended solid particles from liquids by sedimentation; Separation of sediment aided by centrifugal force

B01D 21/26

Centrifuges

B04B

Cyclones

B04C

Special rules of classification

In all subgroups below B03B 5/30 (using heavy liquids or suspensions) the liquid for separation is not necessarily a heavy liquid or suspension, but a liquid with a specific gravity (maybe water), suitable to carry out the envisaged sink-float separation.

Devices therefor, other than using centrifugal force
References
Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

by mechanical classifiers
References
Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

Sink-float separation aspects

B03B 5/28

by non-mechanical classifiers, e.g. slime tanks  (hydraulic classifiers B03B 5/62; water impulse classifiers B03B 5/68)
References
Limiting references

This place does not cover:

Hydraulic classifiers

B03B 5/62

Water impulse classifiers

B03B 5/68

Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

Using shaken, pulsated or stirred beds as the principal means of separation

B03B 5/02

{Upward current classifiers}
Definition statement

This place covers:

Hydraulic classifiers where the hindered settling is accomplished by an upwardly directed fluid flow.

by water impulse (hydraulic classifiers B03B 5/62)
References
Limiting references

This place does not cover:

Hydraulic classifiers

B03B 5/62

Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

Shaking tables

B03B 5/04

Jigs

B03B 5/10

Combinations of wet processes or apparatus with other processes or apparatus, e.g. for dressing ores or garbage
Definition statement

This place covers:

Wet processes or apparatus in combination with other types of separating processes or apparatus, particularly for dressing/processing ores/minerals, mainly mechanical treatment of crude ores to separate and concentrate the valuable constituents.

References
Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

Combinations of wet solid separating processes comprising a specific separating process

B03B 9/005 - B03B 9/065

Pre-treatment of ores in general

C22B

General arrangement of separating plant, e.g. flow sheets
Definition statement

This place covers:

Plants with or without flow sheet involving different, more than one, apparatus for separating, screening, classifying, crushing, etc., not necessarily of the wet or pneumatic table type, specially adapted for the materials specified in the sub-groups. If there are multiple separation techniques involved, the classification occurs also in the subgroups for the specific separation technique (e.g. in B03B 5/18 if a moving-sieve jig is involved and if special technical features of this device are claimed).

References
Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

Destroying solid waste or transforming solid waste or contaminated solids into something useful or harmless

B09B 3/00

Reclamation of contaminated soil

B09C 1/00

Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics; Separating plastics from other materials

B29B 17/02

Fertilisers from household or town refuse

C05F 9/00

Preparation of fertilisers characterised by the composting step

C05F 17/00

Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oil-shale, oil-sand, or non-melting solid carbonaceous or similar materials, e.g. wood, coal by extraction

C10G 1/04

Solid fuels

C10L 5/00

Solid fuels essentially based on materials of non-mineral origin on sewage, house, or town refuse

C10L 5/46

Working up raw materials other than ores, e.g. scrap, to produce non-ferrous metals and compounds thereof

C22B 7/00

Incineration of waste

F23G 5/00

Apparatus or processes specially adapted to the manufacture, installation, removal, maintenance of electric discharge tubes, discharge lamps, or parts thereof; Recovery of material from discharge tubes or lamps

H01J 9/52

Feed or discharge devices integral with washing or wet-separating equipment
Definition statement

This place covers:

All kinds of feeding and discharging arrangements, like rotary feeder, scraper, screw or lifting wheel discharger for washing or wet separating apparatus.

References
Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

Filling or emptying devices per se

B65G 65/30

Control arrangements specially adapted for wet-separating apparatus or for dressing plant, using physical effects
Definition statement

This place covers:

Control arrangements adapted for flotation plants as classified in B03D.

References
Informative references

Attention is drawn to the following places, which may be of interest for search:

Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles of material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches

B07C 5/00

Detecting, measuring, or analysing devices

G01

Control devices in general

G05