Apparatus and process, not provided for elsewhere, for the breaking up or subdividing of material, which material comprises a mixture of fluids or fluent substances, into two or more components by utilizing a rotatable, receptacle-like member having a generally solid wall, and commonly termed a bowl, for subjecting the material to centrifugal force.
(1) Note. When the material is subjected to centrifugal force, the usual tendency is for the heavier component(s) (e.g., the "heavies") to move outwardly from the axis of rotation of the member and the lighter component(s) (e.g., the "lights") to move inwardly toward the axis. When plural heavier components of more than one density are present in the material, the outward movement ordinarily results in stratification, with the most dense component forming the layer nearest the wall, and so forth. When the heavier component, or one or more of a plurality thereof, is particulate in nature, the resulting layer, or layers, tends to be more or less solid.
(2) Note. Most frequently, the member is capable of receiving and holding the material while at rest, and thus is truly a receptacle; in some instances (e.g., a member in the form of a open-ended cylinder), however, it can receive and hold material only when in its operating (i.e., rotating) mode.
(3) Note. The use of the phrase "generally solid" to describe the wall of the member is not intended to infer that the wall behaves as anything other than an imperforate surface insofar as the separating function is concerned; rather, the purpose of the qualifying word is to acknowledge that there sometimes are one or more openings (e.g., discharge apertures) in the wall which serve a nonseparating function. See also Subclass References to the Current Class, below.
LINES WITH OTHER CLASSES
A centrifugal extractor, per se, for treating textiles is not in Class 494 if of the imperforate bowl type, inasmuch as the mixture involved is not one which this class (494) provides for. (See References to Other Classes, below.) If the extractor is perforate in nature, it may be proper for Class 210 (e.g., subclasses 360.1+).
LINE WITH CLASS 196 AND WITH CLASS 208
While the treating of a nominally mentioned oil by merely subjecting it to the action of an imperforate bowl, centrifugal separator does not go beyond the scope of this class (494), the apparatus of Class 196 and the processes of Class 208, in References to Other Classes, below, involve more; for example, (a) apparatus, or process, respectively, pertaining to an additional, chemical treatment of the oil, or (b) specific properties (e.g., the composition) of the oil or of one or more of its components. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
43, (2) Note, for a discussion of the phrase "generally closed," and see the Class Definition, (3) Note, above.
REFERENCES TO OTHER CLASSES
SEE OR SEARCH CLASS
29, Metal Working,
279, for a hand tool which is particularly adpated for applying or removing component parts of a centrifugal separator.
34, Drying and Gas or Vapor Contact With Solids,
312+, for a process of that class which involves subjecting the material being treated to centrifugal force, and subclasses 58+ for apparatus which utilizes centrifugal force.
57, Textiles: Spinning, Twisting, and Twining,
76+,.
68, Textiles: Fluid Treating Apparatus,
23+, for a machine of that class which is combined with a liquid extractor and wherein the extractor is centrifugal in nature. A centrifugal extractor, per se, for treating textiles also is in that area (23+) if of the imperforate bowl type, inasmuch as the mixture involved is not one which this class (494) provides for. For an extractor that is perforate in nature, see Lines With Other Classes and Within This Class, above.
73, Measuring and Testing,
535+,.
95, Gas Separation: Processes, for processes involving steps resulting in separation of a gas from a fluid mixture comprising (a) a gas and solid or liquid particles entrained therein, (b) a liquid and gas entrained therein, or (c) a plurality of gases. However, gas separation processes that use an imperforate bowl, centrifugal separator are proper for Class 494.
96, Gas Separation: Apparatus, for apparatus used in separation of a gas from a fluid mixture comprising (a) a gas and solid or liquid particles entrained therein, (b) a liquid and gas entrained therein, or (c) a plurality of gases. However, gas separation apparatus that is an imperforate bowl, centrifugal separator is proper for Class 494.
99, Foods and Beverages: Apparatus,
452+, for apparatus of that class utilized for the mechanical, fluid or heat treatment of dairy food. Prominent in this class (494), however, is the separating of raw milk into one or more heavier components (e.g., skim milk) and one or more lighter components (e.g., cream).
118, Coating Apparatus,
52+,.
124, Mechanical Guns and Projectors,
4+,.
127, Sugar, Starch, and Carbohydrates, 19, for apparatus of that class for treating sacchariferous material involving the treatment of sugar crystals and wherein the apparatus includes means for applying centrifugal force, and subclass 56 for a process of that class directed to the separation, in a mechanical manner, of impurities from a sugar solution and wherein centrifugal force is relied upon to separate impurities from a sugar solution which is of a different specific gravity than the impurities.
134, Cleaning and Liquid Contact With Solids,
17, and 33.
156, Adhesive Bonding and Miscellaneous Chemical Manufacture,
74,.
159, Concentrating Evaporators,
6.1+,.
162, Paper Making and Fiber Liberation,
384,.
164, Metal Founding,
114+, 175, and 286+. 184, Lubrication,
6.24+, for a system of lubrication which is provided with means for treating the lubricant of the system and wherein the treatment is in the nature of purification, which may involve a separating operation.
184, Lubrication,
43, 70, and 77.
196, Mineral Oils: Apparatus,
14.5, for apparatus of that class for separating wax from a petroleum oil for either recovering the wax or purifying the oil, and subclasses 46+ for apparatus adapted for separating either impurities or nonmineral oil components from mineral oil. (See Lines With Other Classes and Within This Class, for the line with Class 494.)
200, Electricity: Circuit Makers and Breakers,
80,.
208, Mineral Oils: Processes and Products, appropriate subclasses, for a process of that class for the recovery or treatment (including separating) of naturally occurring mineral oil, which process results in the production of a purified or modified oil or of coke. (See Lines With Other Classes and Within This Class, above, for the line with Class 494.)
209, Classifying, Separating, and Assorting Solids, appropriate subclasses, for process and apparatus for separating solid materials and assorting or segregating them in grades or classes according to physical characteristics. The relationship of Class 209 with this class (494) is explained in (6) Note of the class definition of Class 209, which reads as follows: "This class does not include apparatus or methods which involve the use of bowls or receptacles rotating at speed high enough to develop sufficient centrifugal force to separate one class of solids from others unless there is "amalgamation" involved, in which case such apparatus or methods are classifiable in
60, and 199 of this class. Cases not falling within the exception noted are classifiable in Class 494, Imperforate
Bowl: Centrifugal Separators. This class, however, does include some borderline cases where it is not clear that the separation of the classes of solids is wholly dependent upon centrifugal force generated by high speed rotation of the receptacle." 210, Liquid Purification or Separation,
360.1+, for apparatus of that class wherein the constituents of a mixture are separated by passing the mixture through a medium having openings (i.e., a filter) and wherein the medium is adapted for rapid movement about an axis of rotation, subclasses 781+ for a process of that class for separating one constituent of either a liquid-liquid or a liquid-solid mixture and wherein motion, relative to its support or housing, is imparted to the filter medium and further wherein the mixture is caused to pass through the medium by centrifugal force, and subclasses 787+ for a process for separating one constituent of either a liquid-liquid or a liquid-solid mixture and wherein centrifugal force is developed by cyclonic movement of the mixture (but not involving movement of the filter); also, see Lines With Other Classes and Within This Class, above.
239, Fluid Sprinkling, Spraying, and Diffusing,
7,.
241, Solid Material Comminution or Disintegration, appropriate subclasses, for process or apparatus of that class when combined with process or apparatus for the separation of material. The relationship of that class (241) to the material separating classes is explained in Lines With Other Classes and Within This Class, in the class definition thereof, which reads, in part, as follows: "Class 241 is superior to the material separation classes and, therefore, provides for processes and apparatus in which comminution is combined with steps or means to separate the material into classes according to the physical characteristics of its components, before, during, or after the comminuting operation. See
9+, 24 and 68+ or, if the separation involves applying a fluid to the material, subclasses 19, 20 and 38+."
264, Plastic and Nonmetallic Article Shaping or Treating: Processes,
8, 114, 270, and 311.
266, Metallurgical Apparatus,
204, and 227+.
277, Seal for a Joint or Juncture,
427+, and 433.
366, Agitating,
263,.
415, Rotary Kinetic Fluid Motors or Pumps,
13+, 25, and 89.
422, Chemical Apparatus and Process Disinfecting, Deodorizing, Preserving, or Sterilizing,
72, for apparatus of that class comprising means for analyzing a liquid or solid sample and wherein the means includes a centrifuge.
427, Coating Processes,
240,.
451, Abrading,
465+, and 506.
GLOSSARY:BOWL
A receptacle-like member having generally-imperforate sidewalls and constituting that portion of a SEPARATOR within which the subdividing of material into two or more components takes place, or, at least, commences. Ordinarily considered as part of the member are such devices or structure as are either affixed thereto or integral therewith. The art term, rotor, is sometimes used to mean approximately the same as BOWL. (See the Class Definition, (2) Note and (3) Note, above, and see Subclass References to the Current Class, above, for a discussion of the phrase "generally closed.")
SEPARATOR
The combination of a BOWL plus such other devices or structure not clearly a part of the BOWL as are necessary to constitute apparatus of the kind capable of subdividing material by subjecting it to centrifugal force within the BOWL. The art terms, centrifuge and centrifugal, are sometimes used to mean approximately the same as SEPARATOR.