The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Classification of Patents, by
United States Patent Office

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Title: The Classification of Patents

Author: United States Patent Office

Release Date: September 20, 2007 [EBook #22685]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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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 com