The Classification of Patents   By: United States. Patent Office

THE CLASSIFICATION OF PATENTS

[Illustration: Department of the Interior]

WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1915

PREFATORY NOTE.

Parts A and B of the following pages are designed to acquaint all persons using the Patent Office classification with the principles upon which the reclassification is proceeding.

Part C consists of a few tentative rules advanced with the notion of fixing classification practice within the office in certain doubtful cases.

Part D is intended to inform examiners reclassifying within examining divisions respecting the initial procedure in reforming a class.

CONTENTS.

Page.

A. Introduction. 1

Past classifications of the U. S. Patent Office. 1

Beginning of revision. 2

Precedents and authorities. 3

Definition of scientific classification. 4

B. Principles of the new classification of the Patent Office. 4

Elements of a Patent Office classification. 4

Basis of classification. 5

Art as a basis. 5

Function or effect as a basis. 7

Structure as a basis. 8

Division and arrangement. 9

Infinitude of possible combinations. 10

Division and arrangement in the natural sciences. 10

Difficulty of entitling a subclass corresponding to every combination. 11

Expedients to reduce the number of subdivisions. 12

Superiority and inferiority. 15

Definite positional relationship of subdivisions. 16

Indented schedules. 17

Bifurcate division. 19

Utility of arrangement according to resemblances. 19

Definition. 20

Cross references and search notes. 21

Diagnosis to determine classification. 22

Claimed or unclaimed disclosure. 22

Diagnosis of pending applications. 23

Difficulties due to varying ideas of claims. 25

C. Rules of classification. 26

Basis of classification. 26

1. "Art" as the basis. 26

2. Operative or manipulative arts. 26

3. Structures. 26

4. Composition of matter and formed stock. 26

Division and arrangement. 27

5. Exhaustive division; miscellaneous subclass. 27

6. Subclasses not to overlap. 27

7. Subclasses of any group to be formed on one basis. 27

8. Apparent exception to rules 6 and 7. 27

9. Relative position of subclasses. 27

10. Indention of subclasses. 29

11. Different kinds of titles for subclasses. 29

12. Arrangement to limit search and cross references. 30

Definition. 30

13. Tentative definition. 30