C. J. Tower & Sons of Buffalo, Inc. v. United States

54 Cust. Ct. 425, 1965 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1931
Procedural entryThis page is a short order in C. J. Tower & Sons of Buffalo, Inc. v. United States. Read the opinion of the Court — 51 Cust. Ct. 329
United States Customs Court·Decided May 5, 1965·No. No. 69288; protests 61/8665 and 61/8666 (Buffalo)·Published

Opinion

Ford, Judge:

The above protests consolidated for the purpose of trial involve the classification of certain battery blocks which were classified by the collector of customs under the provisions of paragraph 353 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as modified by the Torquay Protocol to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, 86 Treas. Dec. 121, T.D. 52739, as parts of batteries, and assessed with duty at the rate of 17% per centum ad valorem.

Plaintiff’s tnain contention is that the imported battery parts are entitled to entry free of duty, under the provisions of paragraph 1604 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as parts of agricultural implements. It is alternatively claimed that said merchandise should properly have been classified under the provisions of paragraph 353 of said act, as modified, supra, as parts of transformers and, as such, Subject to duty at the rate of 12% per centum ad valorem.

The pertinent portions of the statutes involved herein read as follows:

Paragraph 353 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as modified by the Torquay Protocol to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, supra:

Articles having as an essential feature an electrical element or device, such as electric motors, fans, locomotives, portable tools, furnaces, heaters, ovens, ranges, washing machines, refrigerators, and signs, finished or- unfinished, wholly or in chief value of metal, and not specially provided for:
Batteries-!---17%% ad val.
$ $ $ $ sjs iis H*
Parts, finished or unfinished,, wholly or in chief value of metal, not specially provided for, of articles provided for in any itqm 353 of this Part (not including X-ray tubes or parts thereof) -:-:- The same rate of duty as the ar-tides of which they are parts.

Paragraph 1604 of the Tariff Act of 1930:

Agricultural implements: Plows, tooth or disk harrows, headers, harvesters, reapers, agricultural drills and planters, mowers, horserakes, cultivators, thrashing machines, cotton gins, machinery for use in the manufacture of sugar, wagons and carts, cream separators valued at not more than $50 each, and all other agricultural implements of any kind or description, not specially provided for, whether in whole or in parts, including repair parts: Provided, That no article specified by name in Title I shall be free of duty under this paragraph.

[426]*426Paragraph 353 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as modified by the Torquay Protocol to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, supra:

Articles suitable for producing, rectifying, modifying, controlling, or distributing electrical energy, finished or unfinished, wholly or in chief value of metal, and not specially provided for:
Transformers -1214% ad val.
Parts, finished or unfinished, wholly or in chief value of metal, not specially provided for in any item 353 of this Part (not including X-ray tubes or parts thereof)_
The same rate of duty as the ar-tides of which they are parts.

The record in this case consists of the testimony of four witnesses called on behalf of plaintiff and the receipt in evidence of seven exhibits offered by plaintiff. Plaintiff’s exhibit 1 consists of a sample of the imported block; plaintiff’s illustrative exhibit 2 represents the finished battery; plaintiff’s illustrative exhibit 3 is an advertisement for an electric fencer; plaintiff’s collective exhibit 4 is a list of purchasers for the year 1959 of the “Hot Shot batteries”; plaintiff’s illustrative exhibit 5 represents an advertisement; and plaintiff’s illustrative exhibits 6 and 7 are completed batteries.

The testimony herein establishes that the imported blocks are used for the completion of certain 6-volt batteries which, because of their size and ingredients, afford long service and shelf life. It is also clear from the witnesses that a large portion of these batteries is used in connection with electric fencers. An electric fencer amplifies the 6 volts to a higher voltage which is sent through wires strung on posts surrounding farms. The high voltage is sent through these wires at intervals and is used for the purpose of shocking any animal which may come in contact with it. The record also establishes that batteries of this type are used to a lesser extent for ignition systems of internal-combustion engines, power for blinker light safety devices, fluorescent lights, and for black light use.

Whether or not electric fencers are agricultural implements or act as transformers is immaterial until the issue of the applicability of the parts provision of the paragraphs claimed by plaintiff is first determined.

The question of what constitutes “parts” for tariff purposes has been the subject of much litigation. Whether a given article constitutes a part of another article depends upon the nature, the function, and purpose of the item, as well as its relation to the article to which it attaches or with which it is designed to serve. Gallagher & Ascher Company v. United States, 52 CCPA —, C.A.D. 849.

There appears to be no dispute as to the use of and manner of operation of electric fencers. The evidence adduced herein establishes without contradiction that electric fencers are used around farms to charge a single-wire fence which will cause a shock to any animal which comes in contact with it. In order to accomplish this function, the 6 volts supplied by the battery are increased and, therefore, in effect, electric fencers act in the same manner as transformers.

In a recent decision of the appellate court, United States v. Ford Motor Company, 51 CCPA 22, C.A.D. 831, the question of “parts” and the application of the “dedication test” were reviewed. The merchandise involved therein was certain parts for internal-combustion engines manufactured by the Ford Motor Company which were used to assemble completed engines. The completed engines were used in “industrial settings” as well as in “automobiles.” The court, in sustaining the decision below, based upon the record, held the parts in issue [427]*427to be essential parts of internal-combustion engines wbieb were not dedicated solely for use in tbe automotive field.

In tbe case of tbe superchargers involved in United States v. Antonio Pompeo, 43 CCPA 9, C.A.D. 602, tbe court sustained tbe claim for parts of automobiles and distinguished tbe case of United States v. Willoughby Camera Stores, Inc., 21 CCPA 322, T.D. 46851, commenting as follows:

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C. J. Tower & Sons of Buffalo, Inc. v. United States, 54 Cust. Ct. 425, 1965 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1931 (cusc 1965).

54 Cust. Ct. 425 (C. J. Tower & Sons of Buffalo, Inc. v. United States) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.