E21F SAFETY DEVICES, TRANSPORT, FILLING-UP, RESCUE, VENTILATION, OR DRAINING IN OR OF MINES OR TUNNELS
Description
E21F covers safety and operational infrastructure systems specific to underground mining and tunneling environments. This subclass encompasses devices and methods for worker protection, personnel rescue, material transport, mine ventilation systems, water drainage, and mine filling operations. The classification addresses the unique hazards of subsurface work, including gas accumulation, flooding, equipment movement, and emergency evacuation requirements. Adjacent classes E21C (drilling and boring) and E21D (mining) focus on extraction methods, whereas E21F emphasizes the support systems and safety infrastructure necessary for safe mining and tunnel operations.
10 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- E21F 1/00 Ventilation of mines or tunnels; Distribution of ventilating currents (ventilating rooms or spaces in general F24F)
- E21F 11/00 Rescue devices or other safety devices, e.g. safety chambers or escape ways (breathing aids for curative purposes A61H31/00; respiratory apparatus A62B7/00; breathing apparatus for accidentally buried persons A62B33/00)
- E21F 13/00 Transport specially adapted to underground conditions (mine cars B61D; transport in general, loading B65G)
- E21F 15/00 Methods or devices for placing filling-up materials in underground workings (dams E21F17/103 )
- E21F 16/00 Drainage (keeping dry foundation sites or other areas in the ground E02D19/00)
- E21F 17/00 Methods or devices for use in mines or tunnels, not covered elsewhere (mine lighting F21, H05B)
- E21F 3/00 Cooling or drying of air (air-conditioning rooms or spaces in general F24F)
- E21F 5/00 Means or methods for preventing, binding, depositing, or removing dust ; Preventing explosions or fires (dams E21F17/103; applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces in general B05)
- E21F 7/00 Methods or devices for drawing- off gases with or without subsequent use of the gas for any purpose
- E21F 9/00 Devices preventing sparking of machines or apparatus (preventing sparking of electric machines or apparatus H01K, H02K)
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class E21, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES GROUP US 27,652
- SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY SA 7,755
- PETROCHINA COMPANY 7,025
- BAKER HUGHES US 6,589
- SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY US 6,151
- SINOPEC (CHINA PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION) 4,443
- SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY NL 4,255
- CNPC (CHINA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION) 3,991
- SERVICES PETROLIERS SCHLUMBERGER FR 3,300
- SCHLUMBERGER CANADA CA 3,086