US PATENT CLASS 180
Class Notes
Current as of: June, 1999
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DEFINITION
Classification: 180/
This class relates to the propulsion of land vehicles by a motor carried on the vehicle and to the following subject matter, which may be considered as incidental to such propulsion:
1. The mounting of a motor on a land vehicle.
2. Transmission mechanism in connection with specific vehicle structure. (See Lines With Other Classes and Within This Class, B, below.)
3. Power steering-gear for land vehicles.
4. Power means for raising a frame or body relative to a wheel or wheels.
5. Devices not of general application for utilizing the power of the power plant of a land vehicle to drive other machines, the specific structure of such machines not being involved.
6. Controlling devices in connection with land vehicle structure.
7. Gyroscopes in connection with land vehicle structure.
8. Safety devices involving a feature limited to use on motor vehicles. 9. Motor Vehicles provided with wheel substitutes. This includes vehicles with wheel substitutes even though no power or driving means is claimed unless the vehicle claimed is identified in the specific disclosure as only a nonmotor vehicle. Further, this class takes fluid supported suction effect and surface effect vehicles, including subcombinations drawn to the fluid producing means even though no power or driving means or specific vehicle structure is claimed or disclosed.
LINES WITH OTHER CLASSES
The preceding class definition is subject to the following exceptions:
A. This class is superior to the various motor classes, and whenever a patent contains claims involving in any degree the structure of the vehicle in connection with a power plant or the location and arrangement of the motive-power plant relative thereto it is placed in this class. The mere mention of a vehicle broadly, or of such parts as are necessarily involved in the definition of a vehicle, in a claim which is in other respects drawn to the specific construction of the power plant, does not cause such an assignment, the classification being then based on the power-plant structure, so that the patent is assigned to the appropriate motor class.
B. Transmission mechanism for driving vehicle-wheels is classified with other transmission mechanism elsewhere, even when there is an inclusion in a claim for such structure of a frame, body or boiler, an axle, and traction-wheels. In general, however, inventions relating to vehicle structure are classified in Class 180, although transmission mechanism is included. Transmission-trains designed to drive the road-wheels on opposite sides of a vehicle at the same speed and when desired at different speeds or in different directions or to drive the wheel on one side only are placed in Class 180. Patents containing claims for vehicle-springs in connection with transmission mechanism are placed in Class 180. Patents having two sets of claims, one relating to vehicle structure of general application and the other to transmission mechanism, are placed in this class. Transmission mechanism for an occupant-propelled vehicle in connection with vehicle structure is found elsewhere.
C. Self-propelled vehicles carrying or constituting a device designed to perform a function not incidental to transportation are classified in the class having such devices when a functional manipulation or mounting of the device or more structure than is necessary for connection to the running gear is claimed. For example, a traction-engine claimed in connection with a plow is placed elsewhere.
The term "steering wheel" used in the following definitions means a road-wheel, the axis of which may be swung so as to change the course of the vehicle; however, for an exception to this practice see Subclass References to the Current Class, below. By the term "normal wheel-base" is meant the arrangement of the four wheels of a vehicle so that straight lines joining the points of contact of the wheels with the road form approximately a rectangle when the steering wheels are in the straight-away position.
Vehicle structure designed for motor-vehicles, but not involving features mentioned in the preceding definition, will be found in Classes 280, Land Vehicles, 296, Land Vehicles: Bodies and Tops, and 301, Land Vehicles: Wheels and Axles.
LINE WITH CLASS 475 AND CLASS 74
See Class 475, Planetary Gear Transmission Systems or Components, for a planetary gear transmission in a vehicle drive train. The same line exists between Class 180 and Class 475 as exists between Class 180 and Class 74. LINE WITH CLASS 477, CLASS 74, CLASS 180, AND CLASS 192
See Class 477, Interrelated Power Delivery Controls, Including Engine Control, for interrelated control between an engine and a transmission, clutch, or brake. Class 477 was formed from patents in Classes 74 and 192 and so the same line exists between Class 180 and Class 477 as exists between Class 180 and Classes 74 and 192.
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
252, (2) Note for an exception to the term "steering wheel" as defined in the Glossary, below.
REFERENCES TO OTHER CLASSES
SEE OR SEARCH CLASS
74, Machine Element or Mechanism, see Lines With Other Classes and Within This Class, B, above.
105, Railway Rolling Stock, appropriate subclasses (e.g.,
215.1+, ) for a motor vehicle which includes means whereby it may operate in the manner of a vehicle of that class (105).
172, Earth Working,
3, for earth working apparatus with automatic motive power control, subclasses 114+ for a driven earth working tool mounted on a vehicle, specific propelling means for the vehicle being claimed, and subclass 292 for earth working apparatus in which specific propelling means are claimed. Also, see Lines With Other Classes and Within This Class C, above.
173, Tool Driving or Impacting, 184+, for a tool driving or impacting device combined with a vehicle support.
244, Aeronautics, appropriate subclasses (e.g.,
2, 17.17, 50) for a vehicle of that class which either is combined with a land or water vehicle or else includes means whereby it may operate in one or more respects (e.g., braking, steering, etc.) in the manner of a land or a water vehicle.
280, Land Vehicles, (see Lines With Other Classes and Within This Class, in reference to Vehicle Structure, above).
296, Land Vehicles: Bodies and Tops, (see Lines With Other Classes and Within This Class, in reference to Vehicle Structure, above).
301, Land Vehicles: Wheels and Axles, (see Lines With Other Classes and Within This Class, in reference to Vehicle Structure, above).
305, Wheel Substitutes for Land Vehicles, for wheel substitutes, per se. Class 180 takes patents relating to a vehicle, disclosed as a motor vehicle, where some vehicle structure or a special relationship between the vehicle frame and the wheel substitute is set forth in the claims, irrespective of whether or not any driving means is claimed. However such expressions as a "vehicle frame", an "axle", a "pivotal connection between the vehicle frame and wheel substitute carrying frame" in claims which are otherwise directed to specific wheel substitute structure are considered mere nominal recitations of vehicle structure and are not excluded from Class 305. Also Class 180 takes patents claiming some element of the driving means of a wheel substitute except that the mere broad recitation of a drive means, drive axle or drive sprocket for a wheel substitute is not sufficient to exclude the patent from Class 305, if the vehicle is otherwise only nominally recited in the claims. Further Class 180 takes suction effect and surface effect vehicles even though no driving means or specific vehicle structure is claimed.
368, Horology: Time Measuring Systems or Devices,
6+, for a vehicle responsive parking meter and subclasses 1+ for an horological device acted upon by a disparate device.
475, Planetary Gear Transmission Systems or Components, for a planetary gear transmission in a vehicle drive train. (See Lines With Other Classes and Within This Class, above.)
477, Interrelated Power Delivery Controls, Including Engine Control, for interrelated control between an engine and a transmission, clutch, or brake. (See Lines With Other Classes and Within This Class, above.) GLOSSARY:
NORMAL WHEEL-BASE
Means the arrangement of the four wheels of a vehicle so that straight lines joining the points of contact of the wheels with the road form approximately a rectangle when the steering wheels are in the straight-away position.
STEERING WHEEL
Used in the Class 180 subclass definitions means a road-wheel, the axis of which may be swung so as to change the course of the vehicle; however, see Subclass References in the Current Class above.