IPC Subgroup
B21K 7/08 base plates for rails, e.g. chairs
Introduced: September 1968
Last revised: January 2006
Full Title
Making railway appurtenances; Making vehicle parts > parts for permanent way > base plates for rails, e.g. chairs
Classification Context
- Section:
- PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- Class:
- MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
- Subclass:
- MAKING FORGED OR PRESSED METAL PRODUCTS, e.g. HORSE-SHOES, RIVETS, BOLTS OR WHEELS
Filing statistics
IPC B21K 7/08 belongs to the parent subclass B21K, which recorded 18,766 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 979 in 2013 to 2,225 in 2023 (+127%), peaking at 2,261 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class B21 are JFE STEEL (2,318 applications), JFE STEEL (2,294 applications) and POSCO (POHANG IRON AND STEEL COMPANY) (2,083 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class B21, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- JFE STEEL 2,318
- JFE STEEL JP 2,294
- POSCO (POHANG IRON AND STEEL COMPANY) KR 2,083
- NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION JP 1,650
- NSSMC (NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL) JP 1,631
- SMS GROUP DE 1,472
- BAOSHAN IRON & STEEL COMPANY 1,181
- SGCC(STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA) 1,079
- ANHUI JIANGHUAI AUTOMOBILE 984
- HYUNDAI STEEL COMPANY KR 980