This class includes processes and apparatus for: (1) Producing strands of indefinite length by means of a twisting, twining and/or untwisting operation; (2) Twisting filamentary and/or fibrous material into yarns, threads, cords, ropes, wire ropes, cables, etc.; (3) Other operations such as attenuating, drafting or drawing fibrous material, when combined with twisting or twining, and not elsewhere classified; (4) Covering cores of indefinite length when including or followed by a twisting or twining Operation. The products of the above are also included where not elsewhere classified.
(1) Note. Spinning, as it is known in the art with reference to the production of yarns, etc., from cotton, wool and/or other fibrous materials, includes the attenuating, drawing or drafting of the fibrous material, together with the twisting and winding thereof. See Subclass References to the Current Class, below. Subcombinations of spinning devices (except drawing, which is found elsewhere; see References to Other Classes, below) are found elsewhere in this class.
It is noted that "silk throwing" is sometimes spoken of as "spinning". The term is considered properly applied only when operating on short fiber silk or short lengths of artificial filaments or waste of such, and in the same manner as cotton, wool and other fibrous materials are spun.
(2) Note. The term "twisting couple" as employed in this class defines that part of a spinning or twisting machine comprising a strand receiver and an element cooperating therewith to twist and wind the strand material. One element of the couple by its rotation or revolution twists the strand. The relative rotation between one element and the other causes the winding when the elements are concentric or coaxial.
LINES WITH OTHER CLASSES
The term "spinning" is sometimes applied to the production of artificial filaments by extrusion of material through a spinneret. Apparatus for such production of the filaments with or without subsequent twist thereof is in Class 425, Plastic Articles or Earthenware Shaping or Treating: Apparatus, subclasses 66 and 67+.
The line between this class and Class 174, Electricity: Conductors and Insulators, is as follows: Patents claiming
only conductor structure are found in Class 174. Patents claiming strand structure of twisted or twined form and not limited to conductors are found in this class (57), subclasses 200+.
The line between this class (57) and Class 29, Metal Working, is as follows: Original patents claiming method of, or means for twisting a plurality of elongated filamentary materials together to form a solid cable or "wire rope" are found: (a) in this class (57) if the material is nonmetal or if the material is metal that is clearly not stressed beyond its elastic limit; or (b) in Class 29 if the material is metal that is operated upon as by tension, stress beyond elastic limit, or equivalent deformation, to produce a "permanent" set in the material. Within Class 29, subclasses 428+ is the locus of method claims, and subclasses 700+ the locus of apparatus claims, directed to the subject matter set forth above. SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
315+, for the attenuating, drawing or drafting of fibrous material, together with the twisting and winding thereof.
(1) Note. Since continuous filamentary material ordinarily cannot be drafted, the term "spinning" as employed in this class cannot be applied to the twisting of silk in filamentary form, continuous artificial filaments, wires, etc. Consequently, search for devices for operating on such material should not be made in subclass 315.
REFERENCES TO OTHER CLASSES
SEE OR SEARCH CLASS
19, Textiles: Fiber Preparation,
236+,. for drawing, carding and other fiber preparation involving no twisting.
72, Metal Deforming,
343+, for the process of making a spinning machine forging die by metal deforming operation.
72, Metal Deforming,
462+, for the process of making a weaver implement or iron by means of a forging die.
87, Textiles: Braiding, Netting, and Lace Making, for braiding, netting and lace making. 140, Wireworking,
149, and Class 72, Metal Deforming, subclasses 64+.
242, Winding, Tensioning, or Guiding, for winding or unwinding operations wherein no spinning, twisting or twining is involved.
264, Plastic and Nonmetallic Article Shaping or Treating: Processes, particularly
103, 145+, 164, and 165+ for processes for production of artificial filaments by extrusion through a spinneret with or without subsequent twisting thereof.