US PATENT CLASS 366
Class Notes


Current as of: June, 1999
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366 /   HD   AGITATING



DEFINITION

Classification: 366/

This is the residual class for apparatus for, and corresponding methods of operating on fluid, viscous, plastic, or fluent particulate material solely for causing portions of the material to move irregularly with respect to each other so as to intermix. The material may be in motion or at rest immediately before agitation.

Apparatus for agitating articles which are treated in the same manner as fluent particulate material will also be included in this class, unless classified elsewhere.

This class (366) includes apparatus for forming colloid systems (such as suspensions, emulsions) by agitation, not elsewhere provided for. See LINES WITH OTHER CLASSES AND WITHIN THIS CLASS, below, for related information.

This class (366) also includes stirrers, per se, which are disclosed for use as agitators. However, see Lines With Other Classes, below, for impellers.

[Note: Patents issued prior to 1945 have not in all instances been classified by their claimed disclosure so that placement of these older patents does not necessarily indicate lines of classification.]

LINES WITH OTHER CLASSES

See appropriate composition classes for processes which form colloid systems (such as emulsifying or foaming), and see Class 516, Colloid Systems and Wetting Agents; Subcombinations Thereof; Processes of Making, Stabilizing, Breaking, or Inhibiting, for processes of making,

stabilizing, breaking, or inhibiting colloid systems when such is generically claimed (no claimed art use for the composition) or when there is no hierarchically superior provision in the USPC for the specifically claimed art to the composition of the colloid system.

See Class 241, Solid Material Comminution or Disintegration, for the generically claimed subject matter of comminuting solid material in a fluid to form or improve a non-colloid suspension. Processes of forming non-colloid suspensions or dispersions of solids in fluids, and in which the ingredients of the non-colloid suspensions or dispersion are not claimed with such particularity as to form a basis for classification in Class 252, the that are an integral part therein, or some other appropriate composition class, are classified in Class 241. In general, Class 241 provides for all apparatus for forming suspensions of solids in fluids by comminution, whether such suspensions are disclosed as colloid-sized or not. See Class 138, Pipes and Tubular Conduits, subclasses 40+ for conduit provided with a flow restrictor disclosed for use in forming emulsions of a plurality of fluids. Where such apparatus has additional combined features, such as means to feed material to the restrictor, etc., the patents have been placed in this Class 366.

See Class 127, Sugar, Starch, and Carbohydrates, subclass 14, for mixing devices for a sugar-bearing solution with other liquids or solids for promoting the separation of impurities from the solution.

See Class 366, Agitating, subclasses 69+ for apparatus which may be used for working liquid into a gel, subclasses 101+ for apparatus which includes agitation and injection of gas which may be a foam, subclasses 108+ for apparatus wherein the agitation is effected by vibratory device, subclass 176.1+ for apparatus for forming suspensions or emulsions wherein the feed means is in the form of a pump for forcing the material through a narrow restriction for the purpose of mixing the material, particularly for the purpose of emulsifying or homogenizing the material, subclasses 279+ for apparatus with rotatable stirrer which may be used for making lather or foam, cross-reference art collection 604 for mixing apparatus for making foam or lather, cross-reference art collection 605 for mixing apparatus for stirring of paint.

See Class 416, Fluid Reaction Surfaces (i.e., Impellers), appropriate subclasses for an impeller, per se, which may be useful as a stirrer but where the disclosed use is solely as an impeller, or alternatively as an impeller or stirrer.

Since agitation of material is incidental or ancillary to many apparatuses for treating material for various purposes, an agitator in combination with other means for treating material will be found in the class providing for the particular treatment. Similarly, an apparatus for treating or

handling material which inherently or incidentally agitates the material will be included in the appropriate class providing for the treating or handling means. Cross references have been placed in this class (366) where the agitating mechanism claimed in combination with other treating means has been deemed to have general utility as an agitator.

Also see References To Other Classes, below, for additional lines between this class (366) and other classes and for references to the following:

Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental to or Combined with Other Primary Areas;

Agitating Apparatus Classified Elsewhere;

Feeding and Discharging Subcombinations;

Agitator Subcombinations Classified Elsewhere.

REFERENCES TO OTHER CLASSES SEE OR SEARCH CLASS

8, Bleaching and Dyeing; Fluid Treatment and Chemical Modification of Textiles and Fibers,

159, for manipulative processes of agitating textile material immersed in Liquid for purposes of mechanical or chemical treatment other than impregnating or coating (e.g., washing, bleaching, dyeing). (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

23, Chemistry: Physical Processes,

313+, for a process of agglomerating particulate nonmetallic elements or inorganic compounds by agitation (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

34, Drying and Gas Vapor Contact With Solids, for a process or apparatus for drying material including an agitating step or means. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

53, Package Making, appropriate subclasses for packaging methods and apparatus including agitation of the material packaged, and see particularly

525, for apparatus for agitating or jarring material in a filled container for compacting the material. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

53, Package Making,

525, for apparatus for agitating or jarring material in a filled container for the purpose of compacting the material. (For Agitating Apparatus Classified Elsewhere)

62, Refrigeration, appropriate subclasses for processed and apparatus for removing heat from material which may include agitation of the material. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function) 65, Glass Manufacturing,

178+, for glass working apparatus combined with means for agitating molten glass. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

68, Textiles: Fluid Treating Apparatus, appropriate subclasses, particularly

131+, for apparatus for agitating textile material immersed in liquid for purposes of mechanical or chemical treatment other than impregnating or coating (e.g., washing machine). (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

74, Machine Element or Mechanism, appropriate subclasses for mechanisms which might be useful in transmitting motion to a stirrer or a movable mixing chamber.

99, Food and Beverages: Apparatus, appropriate subclasses for food treating apparatus of that class combined with agitating means; see particularly

452+, for apparatus for treating dairy food, and subclasses 518+, 600+ and 623+ for grain hulling agitating step. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

118, Coating Apparatus,

400+, for coating apparatus involving agitation of the base and coating materials. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

126, Stoves and Furnaces,

155+, for a furnace or stove grate with means to agitate it for the clearance of ashes, and subclass 387 for a water heater with heat type agitating means for the water. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

134, Cleaning and Liquid Contact With Solids, appropriate subclasses for processes and apparatus for Cleaning or Liquid Contact With Solids including a carrier or holder for the solid, and also including agitation of the material to promote, facilitate, or perfect the cleaning or Liquid Contact. The agitation may be caused by movement of the carrier through the Liquid or by a separate agitator. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

137, Fluid Handling, appropriate subclasses for transfer process and apparatus for fluent material which includes agitation or mixing of the material and see particularly

3+, for processes, and subclasses 87+, 599+ and 602+ for apparatus. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

138, Pipes and Tubular Conduits,

40+, for a conduit with a flow restrictor or deflector disclosed for use in forming emulsions of a plurality of fluids. Where such a conduit has additional combined features, such as means to feed material to restrictor, etc., the patents have been placed in Class 366, subclasses 176.1 or 336+. (For Agitating Apparatus Classified Elsewhere)

165, Heat Exchange,

109.1, for heat exchange apparatus including agitating means for a fluent heat exchange medium therein.(Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

166, Wells,

177.7, for agitating means in combination with a well or disclosed solely for use in a well. (For Agitating Apparatus Classified Elsewhere)

172, Earth Working, appropriate subclasses for methods and apparatus for agitating earth in situ. (For Agitating Apparatus Classified Elsewhere)

193, Conveyors, Chutes, Skids, Guides, and Ways

2, and 11 for a chute combined with means to agitate the material so as to aid its flow along the chute. (For Feeding And Discharging Subcombinations) 198, Conveyors: Power-Driven,

750+, for an oscillating conveyor, and subclasses 752+ for a vibrating endless through conveyor, per se. (For Feeding And Discharging Subcombination)

201, Distillation: Processes, Thermolytic,

33, for a distillation process including the step of agitating the charge in the carbonizing zone. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function

202, Distillation: Apparatus,

175, and 265 for distillation apparatus combined with agitating means for the distalland. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

204, Chemistry: Electrical and Wave Energy,

221, 222, 223, 261, and 273, for electrolytic cells including agitating means. (For Agitating Apparatus Classified Elsewhere)

209, Classifying, Separating, and Assorting Solids, appropriate subclasses for methods and apparatus directed to subject matter of that class, and see particularly

233+, for the combination of a sifter with an agitator. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

210, Liquid Purification or Separation, appropriate subclasses for methods and apparatus for separating solids from Liquids, and see particularly 198.1+, or a separator with means to add treating material which may include agitating means. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

219, Electric Heating,

296+, for an electric heating apparatus for a Liquid with means to circulate the Liquid in a fixed path in relation to heat surface so as to transfer heat to the Liquid. Where electrical heating means is only broadly claimed, placement will be in Class 366; but where details of the heater or control means for the heater are claimed, placement will be in Class 219. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

222, Dispensing, both Classes 222 and 366 have the combination of a container and a device operable on the container contents to mix the same, and means to discharge the contents. Class 366 takes (1) agitators with means to feed material thereto; (2) containers having means to agitate, which means are inoperable to assist discharge (e.g., where the agitator is inoperative during discharge) and such means combined with additional dispensing means; and (3) any means particularly designed to agitate with only an incidental discharge assisting function (e.g., those device in which the agitator must operate prior to a dispensing operation, even though it operates during and assists the discharge operation). Class 222 takes containers of any kind with (1) devices particularly designed to convey material therefrom or produce a force on the material therein, in a discharge direction with only incidental agitation effect;

(2) agitators combined with other nongravity discharge assistance and operable together only during the discharging operation (the agitator-receptacle subcombination going to Class 366); and (3) mere solid material bridge breakers operable to promote gravity flow toward a claimed container outlet or discharge assisting means. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

239, Fluid Sprinkling, Spraying, and Diffusing, appropriate subclasses for processes an apparatus (1) for projection or spraying material which required mixing just prior to or at discharge (e.g., resin type cements), usually with a catalyst to cause solidification or setting up, or (2) comprising particular nozzle structure of type provided for in Class 239, combined with agitation or mixing of ingredients in the supply means, provided the ingredients are not of the mortar type provided for in Class 366,

1+,. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

241, Solid Material Comminution or Disintegration, appropriate subclasses for processes and apparatus (1) in which agitating steps or means are combined with comminuting steps or means, or (2) which, by disclosure, will function to comminute the material even if a mixing function is also disclosed. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

252, Composition, appropriate subclasses for processes of making compositions provided therein which may include agitation of the material, and see the notes to the main class definition of Class 252. See also Lines With Other Classes, above. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

261, Gas and Liquid Contact Apparatus, appropriate subclasses for a process or apparatus for mixing a liquid with a gas. (For Agitating Apparatus Classified Elsewhere)

248, Supports,

128+, for supports for mere movable receptacles, and subclasses 146+ for supports for stationary receptacles. 416, Fluid Reaction Surfaces (i.e., Impellers), appropriate subclasses for an impeller, per se, which may be useful as a stirrer but where the disclosed use in solely as an impeller, or alternatively as an impeller or stirrer. (For Agitator Subcombinations Classified Elsewhere)

425, Plastic Article or Earthenware Shaping or Treating: Apparatus,

222, for tumbling type agglomerating apparatus for particulate material. (Apparatus Including Agitating

Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

427, Coating Processes,

242, for processes of coating by rumbling or tumbling. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

432, Heating, the residual class for generating heat and applying it to materials,

121+, for a heating chamber with more than nominally recited heat generating means and including means for guiding or moving material to be heated through or moving material to be heated through or along sections of the chamber, or for agitating such material within the chamber. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

435, Chemistry: Molecular Biology and Microbiology, appropriate subclasses for fermentation processes and apparatus; see particularly

290.3+, for a composting apparatus including an agitation means; subclasses 291.5+ for a malting or mashing apparatus, including an agitation means; subclasses 295.1+ for a bioreactor including a draft tube as a means for agitation; subclass 296.1 for a bioreactor with a sparging means for agitation; subclasses 297.2+ for perfusion bioreactors; subclass 298.2 for a rotatably mounted bioreactor; and subclass 303.3 for an agitated incubator. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function)

451, Abrading,

32+, and 326+ for a process or apparatus disclosed for use in tumbling a workpiece for the purpose of abrading or surface finishing the workpiece. The abrading or surface finishing may be solely by mutual attrition of the workpieces or by an abrasive medium. (Apparatus Including Agitating Incidental To Or Combined With Other Primary Function) 475, Planetary Gear Transmission Systems or Components, appropriate subclasses, for planetary gear transmissions which might be used to transmit motion to a stirrer or mixing chamber; and particularly

11, for rotary planetary output.

GLOSSARY:

AGITATOR

A stirrer or a deflector.

DEFLECTOR

(1) An element or device secured within and in fixed relation to the mixing chamber, or (2) a stationary device in a movable mixing chamber for diverting or separating portions of material and then permitting them to recombine so as to commingle, thus causing or assisting in agitation of the material.

MATERIAL

A mass of fluid, viscous, particulate, or plastic substance which is to be agitated.

MIXING CHAMBER

A space bounded on at least three sides by well structure within which agitation takes place. The chamber may be in the form of a trough, a conduit, or a container of any shape. A supply reservoir or a conveyor for feeding material to a mixing chamber and which includes means for agitating the material prior to its entry into the mixing chamber will not be considered a mixing chamber. OSCILLATING

Rotating alternately in opposite directions about an axis.

RECIPROCATING RECTILINEARLY

Moving bodily back and forth in a straight line in the same path so that at any instant, all parts of the moving body move in the same direction at the same rate.

ROCKING

Moving back and forth as a result of a back and forth motion of a curved surface on a flat surface.

ROTATING

Turning in but one direction about an axis.

STIRRER

A device which is movable by an applied force and which in its movement causes agitation of material. The force may be applied manually, by movement of the material, by relative motion of the chamber, or by a power source, either directly or through a drive train.

STIRRERS, PLURAL

Two or more devices or elements which are movable bodily by an applied force and which move bodily relative to each other an in such movement cause agitation of material. Where a plurality of like or diverse stirrer elements are in fixed relation to each other and move together as a unit they will be considered a single stirrer even if the elements are adjustable relative to each other prior to agitation or are flexible so that portions thereof move relative to each other during agitation.