US PATENT CLASS 140
Class Notes


Current as of: June, 1999
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140 /   HD   WIREWORKING



DEFINITION

Classification: 140/

This class definition and Notes are divided into the following sections:

Combined Wireworking; Making Articles From Wire; Applying Wire; Assembling and Uniting Wire; Cutting Wire; Shaping Wire; Handling Wire; Making Wire.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF CLASS SUBJECT MATTER

(1) This is the generic class of:

Assembling and uniting, shaping and/or deforming wire.

Assembling and uniting one or more lengths of wire with other material.

Assembling and uniting plural lengths of wire.

Shaping or deforming lengths of wire by twisting, bending, kinking and looping. Wireworking apparatus, i.e., machines and implements.

Patents for processes are classifiable along with the apparatus in all subclasses in this class where the participle form is used, e.g., subclass 93 "applying wire". However, subclasses not so limited, e.g., subclass 1 "combined machines" have no process patents therein.

(2) Because certain elongated or attenuated elements, not meeting the definition of a wire, can be both handled and worked like wire, such working of such elements is included in this class (140). For such apparatus combined with nonwireworking apparatus, see Miscellaenous Notes, below.

COMBINED WIREWORKING Note. Mere transient wireworking, solely for the purpose of mounting or supporting the wire during nonwireworking (and after which the wire is substantially restored to its initial condition), combined with the nonwireworking is classified with the nonwireworking, the transient working not being considered wireworking for this class. (See References to This Class, and References to Other Classes, below.)

MAKING ARTICLES FROM WIRE

(1) Note. The making of textile-like fabrics from wire is classified both in this class (140) and in various textile classes. When the process of making includes a wire-working operation, classification is generally in this class (140), where only textile-like operations are involved, classification is generally in the various textile classes (See References to This Class, and References to Other Classes, below.)

(2) Note. The winding or wire on forms or frames (i.e., as a template) is found in this class (140), when the article made does not include the template (or core) as a part thereof. The making of an electric lamp or electric space discharge device electrode, whether or not the core remains with the wound material as a part of the electrode, will be classified elsewhere in this class. Other winding of wire will be found in the class for Winding, Tensioning, or Guiding (See References to This Class, and References to Other Classes, below.)

APPLYING WIRE

For apparatus and processes for applying wire and for miscellaneous wireworking implements, see References to This Class, below. Also see References to Other Classes, below.

ASSEMBLING AND UNITING WIRE

Uniting wires by soldering, welding and brazing will be found in this class (140), when peculiarly related to wireworking. The class of Metal Fusion Bonding is generic to bonding of metal by a metallurgical bond and includes welding, brazing and soldering, except that electric bonding apparatus and methods will be found in the class of Electric Heating, (See References to Other Classes, below.) CUTTING WIRE

See References to Other Classes, below, for specific class references for cutting wire.

SHAPING WIRE

Forging or swaging of wire is classified in Class 72, Metal Deforming. Plastic deformation of metal wire and wire-like material will be found in both this class (140) and Class 72, which provides residually for any plastic metal-working operation, such as straightening, corrugating, stretching, coiling, drawing, rolling, etc., which does not involve assembly. Appropriate subclasses in Class 72 must therefore be investigated in connection with any plastic metal-shaping operation or apparatus. For instance, subclass 302 provides for linearly stretching a workpiece between two end clamps, and subclass 138 provides for a method of or an apparatus for deflectingly deforming metal into a conical spring element.

Shaping wire by working it (other than by cutting) will also be found in certain functional or art classes; see the "SEARCH CLASS" notes below.

Twisting of wire will be found in this class, subclass 149, and in Class 72; see the paragraph on forging or swaging of wire in this section, above. For intertwisting of wire, see sections on Making Articles from Wire and Assembling and Uniting Wire.

HANDLING WIRE

For winding of wire see (2) Note in Making Articles from Wire, above. Otherwise, see Refernces to Other Classes below.

MAKING WIRE

The making of wire is not in Class 140. See References to Other Classes, below.

MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

Certain subclasses in this class (140) have subject matter which is also classified in other main classes. Whether such subject matter constitutes wireworking for this class, so that such subject matter combined with nonwire-working apparatus will be classified in this class (140), in the subclass for Combined Machines, depends upon the status of the art. See the sections above for Making Articles from Wire, Assembling and Uniting Wire, and Shaping Wire.

For wire stock, see References to Other Classes, below, the class of Stock Material or Miscellaneous Articles.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:

1, and see Miscellaneous Notes, above.

1, for wireworking apparatus combined with nonwireworking apparatus.

3+, for processes and apparatus for manufacturing fabrics by wireworking operations, and see Making Articles From Wire, (1) Note, above.

71+, and see the Notes thereto for processes and apparatus for manufacturing articles. (Making Articles From Wire).

71.5, for making an electric lamp or electric space discharge device electrode, whether or not the core remains with the wound material as a part of the electrode. (Making Articles From Wire).

92.1, for winding or wire on forms or frames (i.e., as a template) when the article made does not include the template (or core) as a part thereof, (see (2) Note, above, Making Articles From Wire).

93, for apparatus and processes for applying wire. (Applying Wire)

111+, for joining wire, and see Miscellaneous Notes, below. (Assembling and Uniting Wire)

123, for miscellaneous wireworking implements. (Applying Wire) 92.1+, and 117+, for coiling of wire for joining and subclass 124 for an implement therefor. (Shaping Wire)

123.5, for an implement for stretching wire. (Shaping Wire)

139+, and 147, for straightening of wire.(Shaping Wire)

149, for twisting of wire, and see the note in Shaping Wire, above.

REFERENCES TO OTHER CLASSES

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS

29, Metal Working,

592+, for wireworking processes combined with nonwireworking processes. (Combined Wireworking)

29, Metal Working,

4+, and 10. (Assembling and Uniting Wire)

29, Metal Working, 33+, for apparatus for making wire by combining two or more metal working steps separately classified. (Making Wire)

29, Metal Working,

700+, and 400.1+, and see the Notes thereto for processes and apparatus of assembly. See also subclasses 432+ for a method of driving a wire staple into work either to assemble the staple to the work or to join two workpieces. (Making Articles From Wire)

30, Cutlery, and see the Notes thereto for cutting implements, per se adapted for cutting wire. (Cutting Wire)

57, Textiles: Spinning, Twisting, and Twining, for twisting of wire by a textile-like process, especially for the making of wire rope, particularly

9, and 311 for wire preforming or shaping prior to twisting into rope form, and subclass 362 for wire rope making methods involving twisting, and see (10) Note, above. Making Articles From Wire.

59, Chain, Staple, and Horseshoe Making,

1+, for chain making, and subclasses 71+ for staple making. (Making Articles From Wire)

72, Metal Deforming, appropriate subclasses for any plastic metal-shaping operation not involving assembly, and see the note in Shaping Wire, above for twisting of wire.

72, Metal Deforming, appropriate subclasses for making wire by plastically reshaping a metal work piece. See

199+, for rolling, 253.1+ for extruding, and 274+ for drawing.(Making Wire)

72, Metal Deforming, appropriate subclasses for a method of or an apparatus for plastically shaping metal and including a step of or means for handling or guiding the work or product. (Handling Wire) 75, Specialized Metallurigical Processes, Compositions for use Therein, Consolidated Metal Powder Compositions, and Loose Metal Particulate Mixtures,

200+, for making wire by powder metallurgy.(Making Wire)

81, Tools, appropriate subclasses for special hand tools for applying wire. (Applying Wire)

82, Turning, and see the Notes thereto for turning wire. (Cutting Wire)

83, Cutting, appropriate subclasses for cutting wire or other strand material. (Cutting Wire)

87, Textiles: Braiding, Netting, and Lace Making, appropriate subclasses for braiding of wire by a textile-like process. See Making Articles From Wire, (1) Note, above.

100, Presses,

1+, for binding by means of wire. (Applying Wire)

139, Textiles: Weaving, appropriate subclasses for weaving of wire generally by a textile-like process. See Making Articles From Wire, (1) Note, above.

148, Metal Treatment, appropriate subclasses for processes of metal wireworking in combination with a significant heat treatment to modify or maintain the internal physical property (i.e., microstructure) or chemical property of the metal. See the Class 148 definition to determine what constitutes significant heat treatment. (Combined Wireworking)

156, Adhesive Bonding and Miscellaneous Chemical Manufacture, appropriate subclasses for apparatus and method for laminating in general and see especially 166+, and 433+ for uniting indefinite length strands. See also subclasses 47+ as the generic home for processes of making indefinite length conductors not elsewhere provided for. (Assembling and Uniting Wire)

164, Metal Founding,

82+, for processes of making running or indefinite length products by continuous metal casting and subclass 423 for apparatus for casting wire.(Making Wire)

205, Electrolysis: Processes, Compositions Used Therein, and Methods of Preparing the Compositions,

76, for electroforming of wire.(Making Wire)

219, Electric Heating,

605, and 50+. Note especially indented subclasses 51+, 56+ and 78.01+. (Assembling and Uniting Wire)

226, Advancing Material of Indeterminate Length, appropriate subclasses for methods of, and apparatus for, feeding

material without utilizing the leading or trailing ends to effect movement of the material. (Handling Wire)

227, Elongated-Member-Driving Apparatus,

82+, for combined apparatus for making and applying a member, e.g., nail. (Making Articles From Wire)

227, Elongated-Member-Driving Apparatus, appropriate subclasses for apparatus for applying a member, e.g., staple, to work. (Applying Wire) 228, Metal Fusion Bonding, the generic class of bonding of metal by a metallurgical bond and includings welding, brazing and soldering, (Assembling and Uniting Wire)

242, Winding, Tensioning, or Guiding,

430+, for making a composite article in which an elongated material is permanently wound onto a core. (Shaping Wire)

242, Winding, Tensioning, or Guiding, particularly

430+, and see Making Articles From Wire, (2) Note, above.

242, Winding, Tensioning, or Guiding,

360+, 430+, and 470+ for wire winding or loop forming for a storage coil. (Handling Wire)

264, Plastic and Nonmetallic Article Shaping or Treating: Processes, for processes, within the class definition, for molding or shaping plastic substances. For forming indefinite length filament like articles which may be electrical conductors see

171.1+, especially subclasses 171.26+, and for other electrical devices, see subclasses 29.1+ and 104+, in particular.(Making Wire)

254, Implements or Apparatus for Applying Pushing or Pulling Force,

134.3+, for wire or strand placing. (Applying Wire)

408, Cutting by Use of Rotating Axially Moving Tool, for the cutting of wire by a tool that twines about an axis and moves along that axis toward a workpiece with no additional motion during operation. (Cutting Wire) 409, Gear Cutting, Milling, or Planing, for milling or planing of wire. (Cutting Wire)

425, Plastic Article or Earthenware Shaping or Treating: Apparatus, appropriate subclasses especially

67+, for plastic filament former comprising an immersed

shaping orifice discharging directly into a liquid bath, and subclass 461 for a filament spinning nozzle, per se; see the search notes thereunder. (Making Wire)

451, Abrading, for grinding wire. (Cutting Wire)

470, Threaded, Headed Fastener, or Washer Making: Process and Apparatus appropriate subclasses for making and/or heading nails, screws and bolts by forging or swaging. (Shaping Wire)

470, Threaded, Headed Fastener, or Washer Making: Process and Apparatus

121+, for making wire nails. (Making Articles From Wire)

470, Threaded, Headed Fastener, or Washer Making: Process and Apparatus,

8+, for methods of threading wire and 57+ for machines for threading wire except as provided for in Class 408. (Cutting Wire)

470, Threaded, Headed Fastener, or Washer Making: Process and Apparatus,

164+, and the notes thereto for machines for feeding discrete lengths of wire. (Handling Wire) 483, Tool Changing, generally for a process or apparatus including a tool transfer means combined with a tool support or storage means. (Combined Wireworking)

GLOSSARY:

The definitions of terms in the class definitions of Class 29, Metal Working, apply in this class unless otherwise noted.

WIRE

A wire (for the purpose of this class (140), is an elongated or attenuated metal or metal-based material, wherein all the diameters of the cross-sectional area taken at right angles to its length are of substantially the same dimension, and the cross-sectional area is small enough to allow substantial flexibility or resiliency and permit bending or flexing without substantial metal flow. A wire may be stranded, cored, coated or covered.

WIREWORKING

The term wireworking includes the shaping and deforming of wire and/or the assembly and uniting of wire with wire or nonwire material by twisting, bending, kinking, looping, etc.