J. E. Bernard & Co. v. United States

60 Cust. Ct. 296, 282 F. Supp. 476, 1968 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 2484
United States Customs Court·Decided March 26, 1968·No. C.D. 3372·Published·Cited by 9 cases

Opinion

BeckwoRth, Judge:

The merchandise involved in this case is described on the invoice as “PEM Water Fountain Nozzles made out of brass & bronze.” Five items are listed: PEM #11A Fountainheads; PEM #11B Fountainheads; PEM #643 Aerating Jets; PEM #200lA-%" Adapter; and PEM #33-2 Cluster Jet. The merchandise was imported from Canada and entered at the port of Chicago on June 15, 1964. It was assessed with duty at 1.275 cents per pound and 15 per centum ad valorem under item 657.35 of the Tariff Schedules of the United States as articles of copper, not coated or plated with precious metal, other. It is claimed to be dutiable at 10 per centum ad valorem under item 662.50 as mechanical appliances for spraying liquids and parts thereof, other.

The pertinent provisions of the Tariff Schedules of the United States are as follows:

Articles of copper, not coated or plated with precious metal:
* * * * * *
Item 657.35 Other_ 1.275‡ per lb. + 15% ad val.
Mechanical appliances, whether or not hand operated, for projecting, dispersing, or spraying liquids or powders; fire extinguishers, whether or not charged; spray guns and similar appliances; steam- or sand-blasting machines and similar jet projecting machines; all the foregoing (except automatic vending machines) and parts thereof:
[298] Item 662.35 Simple piston pump sprays, powder bellows, all the foregoing and parts thereof — 19% ad val.
Item 662.40 Sand-blasting machines, and thereof_ Free.
Item 662.45 Sprayers, self-contained having a capacity over 5 gallons, suitable for agricultural or horticultural use_ Free.
Item 662.50 Other 10% ad val.

At the trial, plaintiff called Peter Micha, president of Imperial Irrigation Company, Ltd., which corporation and its predecessor was and is in the business of manufacturing water fountain equipment for decorative water displays. It also acts as a contractor for irrigation systems, such as lawn sprinkler systems, and other watering projects. The duties of the witness include sales, supervision of contracts, supervision of manufactured goods on order, and supervision of shipping. He was familiar with the articles involved in this case.

Samples of three of ¡the items, #11A fountainheads, #643 aerating jets, and #2001A adapter were received in evidence as exhibits 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Mr. Micha testified that they were made out of cast bronze, or brass bar stock, in a machine shop on a lathe. He was familiar with the manner of their use in the United States and had seen them in actual use.

Exhibit 1 is a fountainhead consisting of several parts. The cap is a circular piece having one orifice in the center and two rings of or-fices surrounding it. It screws into a metal body or cup within which are two cylindrical pieces, apparently of plastic, with orifices on the sides. The witness said that the fountainhead is mounted on a small submersible pump, as produced by several American manufacturers, and the entire unit is placed in a small fountain bowl or garden pool. In use, it creates a decorative effect, illustrated in the 1967 PEM Fountain Equipment catalog (exhibit 4). This shows a three-tiered water display, consisting of a single jet in the center and two lower spray effects. The witness said that the devices in the fountainhead create a pressure differential between the three types of orifices. The center jet has full pressure and sprays highest. The first ring of orifices has approximately 75 percent of the pressure, while the outside ring has only 40 percent of the pressure, thereby creating different spray heights. These various pressure effects are regulated by the items which are inside the nozzle. These items do not move during the process of building up pressure and dispersing water.

According to the witness, the fountainhead designated as 11B is identical with 11A except for the size of the orifices. It has a larger [299] and heavier spray pattern. It was originally designed for a larger size submersible pump.

Plaintiff’s exhibit 2, the aerating jet, is a metal cylindrical object about 1 inches long consisting of several parts. The witness explained its use as follows:

* * * This type of fountain jet is used to create a heavy foam, a white column appearing water. The jet is installed partly submerged into the water. A suction is created, a vortex is created by the nozzle, by the nozzle of the jet, which is m the lower part of the jet. This vortex draws in water from the pool through the slots; also it draws in air from the atmosphere, and the jet produces'a foam-like effect, to approximately seven times the volume as ejected by the nozzle. This type of jet is used to create water displays in fountains that require greater attraction.

By means of this device, a column of water- 6 or 8 feet in height is produced. The item belongs to a whole group of jets made in sizes up to and including 18-inch spray diameter, with a spray height of over 100 feet. The jet can be adjusted by screwing the outer cylinder up or down, limiting either the entry of water into the jet, or the entry of air into the jet chamber. It could be done while the jet is in operation.

Exhibit 3 is a small metal object, cylindrical in shape, tapering to a 1,4-inch diameter. The witness said it is used for small submersible pumps to create a stream of water, spray effect, in small garden fountains.

The remaining item, #33-2, cluster jet, is illustrated on page 4 of the PEM catalog. The witness said it was similar in appearance to number 11A except that the metal cap had one ring of orifices.

The witness stated that with each of these nozzles, a pump creates the pressure with which the nozzle operates and also serves to recireu-late the water in the fountain so that it may be reused over and oyer again. Water has to be injected into these nozzles so that they can disperse it. The nozzles are usually connected with the pumps by pipe fittings, but in some instances the fountainhead connects directly with the pump. There is no use for the nozzles except with fountains.

Mr. Micha testified that his firm does not install fountainheads but at times renders design suggestions to its distributors. It does not sell corresponding pumps with the nozzles. However, to his knowledge, the nozzles could not be used without pumps because the pressure normally found in water supply systems would not be stable and because of health code requirements. He said that, while it would be possible to connect a nozzle directly to a plumbing system omitting a supplemental pump, it would function only for a very short time. It might be done with the number 11A spray head if one had a water disposal sys[300] tem. He liad never in fact seeen a nozzle used in the United States without a pump.

When asked whether in his opinion the operation of the nozzles alters one form of energy into another, the witness stated:

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J. E. Bernard & Co. v. United States, 60 Cust. Ct. 296, 282 F. Supp. 476, 1968 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 2484 (cusc 1968).

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