Literature of Chemical Technology - American Chemical Society

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31 Patent Searching in the Field of Rubber Technology T. A .

O'BRIEN

1

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The Goodyear Tire & Rubber C o . , Akron, Ohio

The U. S. Patent Office lists patents on rubber technology by its own classification system. The searcher is aided by three references to the patent files: the Classification

Man-

ual, the Index to Classification, and the Classifications

Bul-

letins. All of the patents are cross-referenced.

Since rubber

technology has greatly expanded since World War II, patents relating

to this field have been widely

distributed

throughout the patent files. Elastomers, monomers, catalysts and modifiers, and manufacturing

methods are arranged ac-

cording to chemical nature. Patents on rubber articles are listed under the class for the particular type of article.

A

collection of patents may be obtained from the Patent Office and kept up to date by subscribing

to the Official Gazette

of the U. S. Patent Office.

A n y patent search involves exploring a mass of 3,150,000 U n i t e d States - t V patents, (as of September 29, 1964), not to mention those issued by France, Germany, Great Britain, and the smaller industrial countries. These patents are being reviewed constantly for several reasons. A n inventor may be interested i n determining previous work done i n a given field, and thereby avoid duplication of the work of others. A factory may pursue an infringement search among unexpired patents before investing i n the manufacture and sale of a product or article. Another type of search may be conducted to invalidate a patent, previously determined to be infringed, by discovering an earlier patent describing the same or a similar thing. The Patent Office Examiners continually review patents to verify the novelty of the claim i n each patent application w h i c h comes to them for evaluation and decision. This procedure, incidentally, results i n adding several hundred patents each week. 1

Deceased. 510 Smith; Literature of Chemical Technology Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1968.

31.

O'BRIEN

Patent

Searching

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Consequently, this mass of patents must be arranged so that it is possible to find a description of a particular process, device, or product w i t h a m i n i m u m expenditure of time and effort. A t the same time, the arrangement must be flexible so that new patents may be continually added without disturbing the systematic arrangement. This framework has to embrace the old while standing ready to accept the new. This is accomplished by distributing all U . S. patents into more than 300 categories or classes, w i t h titles ranging from A b r a d i n g to W o r k Holders. Patents on every process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter have a place i n these classes. Patents on the automobile, the airplane, the radio and television were classified, each as it came along. A t the same time, the classes devoted to harness and whips were not abolished. T h e titles of these classes do not readily indicate the patents they contain relating to rubber, tires, or any of the other main divisions of the rubber industry. However, this is only because these titles must be sufficiently generalized to embrace a constantly expanding technology. In order to make the enormous number of patents easily accessible, the Patent Office has provided certain tools for searching the patent files. One of these is the Classification M a n u a l . This manual lists the more than 300 classes mentioned above, w i t h the number and title of each. T h e classes are listed alphabetically and numerically, and according to their distribution i n the examining groups of the Patent Office. W i t h i n each class the particular subject matter is broken down into numbered subclasses. T h e titles of these subclasses are arranged i n columns, progressively indented, to indicate the extent to w h i c h each subclass is generic to, or includes, those below it. T o illustrate, i n Class 152, Resilient Tires and Wheels, w i l l be found Subclass 151 relating to Resilient Tires and, indented under this, a Subclass 246 relating to Cushion Tires and, similarly indented, Subclass 330 relating to Pneumatic Tires. F i n a l l y , below and embraced by this last item, is Subclass 349, entitled Inner Tubes, or, more specifically, Subclass 350, limited to those tubes w h i c h are fabric-reinforced. B y using this indentation arrangement we can quickly find the patents we are looking for. T h e patent copies are located i n the search room of the Patent Office, now located i n Alexandria, V a . , and are arranged i n bundles, one or more to a subclass, corresponding to their disposition i n the Classification M a n u a l . These are accommodated i n stacks easily accessible to the searcher. There are about 50,000 subclasses thus arranged. M a n y of the patents are cross-referenced, i.e., inserted into more than one place i n the system so that it may be found under two or more subject headings. This improves the chances of finding the patent and increases the number of patent copies i n these stacks to about nine million. T h e classification system attempts to distribute the patent subject matter into divisions and subdivisions w h i c h ultimately embrace a small enough number of patents to permit scanning of each one. However, one should not assume that the broader subclasses are merely guideposts. E a c h contains patents corresponding to its title minus those included by narrower subclasses indented below it. Accordingly, each should be investigated as the search is broadened to include less pertinent but related patents.

Smith; Literature of Chemical Technology Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1968.

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512

LITERATURE

OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY

Since the Classification M a n u a l titles must be fairly general, they may not adequately indicate the placement of certain subject matter. Therefore, the Patent Office provides the Index to Classification w h i c h lists the subject matter alphabetically from Abacus to Zweiback. U s i n g this Index, any desired subject may be located, such as rubber or vulcanizing or tires. Indented under the main subject, w i l l often be a more specialized heading, such as coating or reclaiming under rubber, molds and presses under vulcanizing, or patches and retreading under tires. Opposite each of these subjects, is a class and subclass number. These numbers direct us to the place i n the Classification M a n u a l w h i c h i n d i cates the location of additional pertinent subject matter. The Index to Classification, then, directs us alphabetically to the appropriate class; and the M a n u a l of Classification enables us to narrow the area by proceeding to narrower subclasses w i t h titles w h i c h include the subject matter we are concerned w i t h . Since the brief titles of the classes and subclasses may not be sufficiently informative the Patent Office provides another tool, namely, the Classification Bulletins. These bulletins contain definitions of each class and its subclasses w h i c h are listed i n the Classification M a n u a l . T o illustrate their function, suppose that we wish to find patents on synthetic rubber and, i n particular, patents on Buna-S or G R - S . L o o k i n g first i n the Index to Classification we find, alphabetically, the term "rubber" and, indented under this, the term, "synthetic rubber," w h i c h directs us to Class 260, Chemistry, Carbon C o m pounds. T u r n i n g now to the Classification Bulletin of Class 260 we find that Subclass 2 and indented subclasses are defined as containing patents related to the preparation and treatment of the so-called synthetic resins,. Reading the definitions of the subclasses indented under Subclass 2, we pass from one to another until we reach the narrowest definition w h i c h w i l l include the objective of our search. In this case, we find a note appended to the definition, stating that the subclass includes Buna-S or G R - S . The Patent Office system of classification constantly undergoes expansion and revision as it absorbs a steady influx of new patents. Therefore, classes and subclasses and their definitions cannot be fixed. Furthermore, foreign patents, i n general, are classified according to the system used by the patent office of origin. In this respect they w i l l require somewhat different treatment if a search is to include them. Therefore, the person who makes the search must rely upon his own knowledge and experience to supplement any system of classification or manual aid. Patents pertaining to the rubber industry are widely distributed throughout the classification system. This is because rubber is used as construction material for many articles owing to such properties as resilience or corrosion resistance. These patents usually must be sought where the article itself is classified, whether made of rubber or some other material. However, some classes contain more patents related to the rubber industry than do others and a few of these w i l l be mentioned. Patents on methods and apparatus for collecting natural rubber from the tree w i l l be found i n Class 47, Plant Husbandry, Subclass 10, Turpentine and Rubber, w i t h further subdivision concerned w i t h buckets and spouts and with

Smith; Literature of Chemical Technology Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1968.

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31.

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Patent

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tools. T h e treatment of natural rubber, collected i n this way, is located i n Class 260, as previously mentioned. This class is so large that a subclass within it, Subclass 709, serves i n a generic capacity to encompass patents concerned w i t h various treatments of natural rubber. Thus, indented under this are Subclass 710 related to Reclaiming of Waste Rubber, and Subclass 722 related to Sponge Rubber. A l s o within this section of Class 260 are numerous subclasses related to vulcanization, as w i t h a new accelerator or a new antioxidant. A g a i n , the subject matter has been subdivided to enable the searcher to concentrate on his particular interest. Class 18, Plastics, is important to the rubber industry since it includes subclasses w h i c h contain patents on tire molds and on presses for holding and molding rubber while heating and vulcanizing. However, the actual building of tires or similar rubber articles w i l l be found i n Class 156, w h i c h embraces Adhesive Bonding and Miscellaneous Chemical Manufacture. Here, under separate headings, many methods constituting important units of our industry, such as belt making, hose making and tire making, are located. T h e making of golf balls also warrants its own subclass, broken down into still finer subdivisions, depending on whether we are concerned with the filling feature or the w i n d i n g feature i n making the golf ball. Since tires are the sub je jet of patents i n Class 152, its subclasses are related to various features of rubber tires, such as side walls, carcasses, breaker strips, beads, etc. Thus, within the general classification of tires, the search may be initiated at the point of greatest interest, as indicated by the subclass cities or subclass definitions. Another important branch of the rubber industry is represented i n Class 36, Boots, Shoes and Leggings. This class is liberally sprinkled w i t h subclasses calling for items made of rubber. There is a subclass for rubber boots and shoes, generally, and another for rubber overshoes, specifically. Still others are provided for rubber soles and for cushion heels. Class 150, C l o t h , Leather and Rubber Receptacles, is mentioned since it covers receptacles i n their vast variety. M a n y of these such as key pouches, mail bags, and golf bags set i n subclasses of their own, may be made wholly or partly of rubber. T h e importance of rubber coatings is reflected by their representation in Class 117, Coatings: Processes and Miscellaneous Products. Appropriately named subclasses separate coatings according to characteristics w h i c h enable the searcher to concentrate on one type to the exclusion of others. Thus, there is a subclass directed to superposed coatings i n w h i c h at least one coating contains rubber; other subclasses pick out patents having to do w i t h a metal base or a wooden base or a paper base, i n each case, coated w i t h rubber; or, a subclass may select patents i n w h i c h the coating, of whatever nature, is placed on a base w h i c h is made of rubber. Still, another class i n w h i c h rubber is w e l l represented is Class 267, Spring Devices, containing provision for patents on rubber-type lever springs, compound springs and torsion springs. E a c h of these has a subclass devoted to it, so that our search may be limited, for example, to torsion springs made by the use of rubber. Patents related to other types of springs are sifted out beforehand. Patents on the so-called "air spring" w i l l also be found i n this class.

Smith; Literature of Chemical Technology Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1968.

Downloaded by UNIV LAVAL on July 11, 2016 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: January 1, 1968 | doi: 10.1021/ba-1968-0078.ch031

514

LITERATURE

OF C H E M I C A L TECHNOLOGY

T h e foregoing classes have been mentioned either because they are of general interest to the whole rubber industry or because they concern major segments of it. Obviously, many kinds of articles made wholly or partly of rubber have not been listed, although the Patent Office classification system provides a place for each of them. Further, a comprehensive search for patents pertinent to a rubber article, such as a tire, may involve investigation of other classes i n addition to the main class i n w h i c h the article is found. Thus, an exhaustive search on a tire w o u l d involve the manner i n w h i c h it was made, individual features of its construction, such as treads and beads, tire-building machines and molds, and vulcanization procedures. T h e wide distribution of patents related to various rubber products makes it advisable to collect the patented art in" w h i c h we are interested. A collection of a l l patents concerned w i t h tires, boots and shoes, or w i t h an assortment of miscellaneous articles, such as belts, hose, mats, floor covering, gaskets, cushions, etc., may be started by ordering from a l l patents i n pertinent subclasses from the Patent Office. This collection may be kept up to date by entering a standing order for a l l new patents i n those subclasses as they are granted. In addition, a wider and more selective choice may be made by subscribing to the Official Gazette of the U . S. Patent Office and ordering, weekly, each pertinent patent found there. This is conveniently done by estabhshing a deposit account with the Patent Office. If patents are ordered by number, books of coupons may be purchased, each good for one patent copy. In this way, patents may be collected from widely scattered points i n the Patent Office classification system. This collection may be classified according to the needs of the company maintaining it and used to keep abreast of developments i n the particular branch of the rubber industry to w h i c h it relates. Of course, it is still advisable to make use of the facilities afforded by the Patent Office itself when a complete search is necessary. In the past few years abstract services i n the English language have become available i n selected technological fields, presenting details of activities particularly for Great Britain, Germany, France, South Africa, India, Belgium, Japan and the Soviet U n i o n . Searching services have been established i n Germany and H o l l a n d w h i c h can be useful i n reviewing the patent art. Patents, then, constitute a large and growing source of information. They are useful to the worker i n research or development and to the company making and selling the products of such research and development. F r o m the time that Charles Goodyear received his Patent N o . 3633 for the vulcanization of rubber on June 15, 1844, the rubber industry has made an increasing contribution to the patented art. F o r this reason, patents constitute a valuable repository of information on developments i n the rubber industry and one w h i c h is being worked on constantly to keep that information as accessible as possible despite the growing difficulties of such a task. R E C E I V E D October 1, 1964. Presented on the symposium, "Literature of Rubber," sponsored by the Division of Chemical Literature and the Division of Rubber Chemistry at the 130th Meeting of the American Chemical Society at Atlantic City, Sept. 18-19, 1956. Published in limited edition by the Division of Rubber Chemistry and reprinted by permission of the Division.

Smith; Literature of Chemical Technology Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1968.