De Laval Separator Co. v. United States

78 Cust. Ct. 95, 434 F. Supp. 656, 78 Ct. Cust. 95, 1977 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 948
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedApril 15, 1977
DocketC.D. 4693; Court No. 72-6-01352
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 78 Cust. Ct. 95 (De Laval Separator Co. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Customs Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
De Laval Separator Co. v. United States, 78 Cust. Ct. 95, 434 F. Supp. 656, 78 Ct. Cust. 95, 1977 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 948 (cusc 1977).

Opinion

Ford, Judge:

This action presents for determination the proper classification of certain merchandise described on the invoice as “Farm Tanks Without Refrigeration Units.” They were classified by Customs under item 661.35 TSUS as “refrigerators and refrigerating equipment, whether or not electric, and parts thereof” and consequently assessed with duty at 6 per centum ad valorem.

Plaintiff contends said merchandise is entitled to entry free of duty under item 666.00 TSUS which provides for “* * * on-farm equipment for the handling * * * of agricultural * * * products, and agricultural * * * implements not specially provided for, and parts of any of the foregoing.”

The involved tanks in their condition as imported are made of stainless steel. They are oval or cylindrical in shape and have double wall construction with thermal insulation between the walls. In addition, said tanks have a manhole, agitator, graduated dipstick, vent, inlet and outlet connection, built-in thermometer, refrigeration and electrical control panels and a washing spray ball. This unit when connected to a refrigeration unit and a source of electricity is capable of storing and cooling milk in accordance with 3-A Sanitary Standards formulated by the International Association of Milk, Food and Environmental Sanitarians, the U.S. Public Health Service and the Dairy Industry Committee.

The pertinent statutory provisions involved herein provide as follows:

Tariff Schedules of the United States:
***** * *
Schedule 6, part 4, headnote 2:
***** * *
2. Unless the context requires otherwise, and subject to headnote 1 to sub-part A of this part, a multi-purpose machine is classifiable according to its principal purpose * * *.
*****
Subpart A. - Boilers, Non-Electric Motors and Engines, and Other General Purpose Machinery
Subpart A headnote:
1. A machine or appliance which is described in this subpart and also is described elsewhere in this part is classifiable in this subpart.
[97]*97661.35 Refrigerators and refrigerating equipment, whether or not electric, and parts thereof_ 6% ad val. [as modified by T.D. 68-9]
* * * * * * *
Subpart C headnote:
1. The provisions of item 666.00 for “agricultural and horticultural implements not specially provided for” do not apply to any of the articles provided for in schedule 6, part 2, part 3 (subparts A through F, inclusive), part 5 (except item 688.40), or part 6, or to any of the articles specially provided for elsewhere in the tariff schedules * * *
666.00 Machinery for soil preparation and cultivation, agricultural drills and planters, fertilizer spreaders, harvesting and threshing machinery, hay or grass mowers (except lawn mowers), farm wagons and carts, milking machines, on-farm equipment for the handling or drying of agricultural or horticultural products, and agricultural and horticultural implements not specially provided for, and parts of any of the foregoing_ Free

The record consists of the testimony of three witnesses called by plaintiff and two on behalf of defendant. Plaintiff introduced and there were received 25 exhibits and defendant presented one exhibit.

The first witness called on behalf of plaintiff was William F. Crook, a former employee of the importer. His last position with the firm was that of product manager which included total responsibility for marketing of the bulk milk container on a national basis. The witness indicated that the invoice designations described the merchandise involved. The designation with the letter “E”, a numeral designation, and an initial such as “ROB” are indicative of the characteristics of the tank. The letter “E” indicates that the item was for export. The numerical designation indicates the nominal capacity of the tank, the letter “R” indicates remote installation of the condensing unit at the farm, the letter “O” the configuration of the tank, to wit, oval, and the letter “B” designates the tank being of a bulkhead nature in that a portion of the tank would project outward from the milk room.

The witness identified plaintiff’s exhibit 1 as sales literature prepared for the plaintiff under his supervision which portrays the merchandise in question. Plaintiff’s exhibits 2 through 17 contain [98]*98various photographs of the bulk milk tanks, accessories and the Tecumseh condensing unit which is added after importation. The witness indicated that if a farmer orders a bulk milk tank he would not receive the condensing unit which is considered a separate entity and is billed to the dealer as a separate item. It is not part of the tank.

Mr. Crook then testified that the metallic portion of the tank is 300-series stainless steel containing polyurethane foam in the areas between the two walls of the tank. The polyurethane is found in varying thicknesses around the tank to provide thermal insulation. The witness has visited various dairy farms throughout the United States and observed the use of bulk tanks manufactured by the exporter, as well as others. They have on many occasions been used with or in conjunction with other items of equipment such as those designated on plaintiff’s exhibit 19 which is a representation of a milking parlor. Based upon his association with plaintiff, Mr. Crook testified that approximately 5,000 farm bulk milk tanks were imported by his firm. He has seen bulk tanks used on dairy farms in all major milk producing states, such as the New England States, New York, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, California and Idaho. He has never seen bulk tanks utilized other than on dairy farms. The witness then testified that the tanks imported by the De Laval Separator Company range ir size from 320 United States gallons to 2,500 United States gallons.

On cross-examination, Mr. Crook stated that when milk leaves the cow’s udder it is “around 100 degrees” Fahrenheit, and it enters the bulk milk tank at about 90 degrees. When it is picked up by the tank truck it is in the “40-degree range.” The bulk milk tank will not function and operate for the purpose for which it was intended without a condensing unit. The witness further stated that the thermal insulation helps maintain the milk in a cool state as long as possible. The condenser unit consists of a motor compressor assembly, a condenser, a receiver, and the necessary electrical wiring. The washer unit is required under the standards for bulk milk tanks. The agitator and agitator drive operates by a thermostat in conjunction with the condensing unit. The agitator moves the milk across the bottom of the tank and prevents freezing when the unit is operating. In addition, it assists in uniform cooling of the milk. In its condition as imported, the tank includes a thermometer which indicates the temperature of the milk in the tank.

The control box pictured in plaintiff’s exhibit 5 contains an expansion valve which controls the refrigerant flow into the evaporator.

On redirect examination Mr. Crook testified that cooling is only one function of the bulk farm tank. The tanks must be constructed in accordance with the 3-A standards which outline the quality of construction, the materials, and certain hygienic factors.

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Related

De Laval Separator Co. v. United States
511 F. Supp. 810 (Court of International Trade, 1981)
United States v. De Laval Separator Co.
569 F.2d 1134 (Customs and Patent Appeals, 1978)

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Bluebook (online)
78 Cust. Ct. 95, 434 F. Supp. 656, 78 Ct. Cust. 95, 1977 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 948, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/de-laval-separator-co-v-united-states-cusc-1977.