Mannesmann-Meer, Inc. v. United States

54 Cust. Ct. 405, 1965 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1966
United States Customs Court·Decided April 21, 1965·No. No. 69260; protest 61/24165 (New York)·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

Ford, Judge:

The dutiable classification of certain imported merchandise, identified on the invoice as “2 Hydraulic High Pressure pumps DD 9,” is contested by the plaintiff herein.

The pumps were classified by the collector of customs under 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 articles having as an essential feature an electrical element or device, or parts thereof. Duty was assessed thereunder at the rate of 13% per centum ad valorem.

The plaintiff contends that the aforesaid pumps are classifiable as other machines, not specially provided for, under paragraph 372 of said act, as modified by the Sixth Protocol of Supplementary Concessions to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, 91 Treas. Dec. 150, T.D. 54108, and should be assessed with duty at the rate of 11% per centum ad valorem.

At the opening of the trial, the plaintiff abandoned that part of its protest which related to the item described on the invoice as a set of spares for a metal powder press, leaving in issue only the proper classification of the aforesaid hydraulic pumps. The protest is, accordingly, dismissed as to this merchandise.

The basic issue is whether these pumps have as an essential feature an electrical element or device within the meaning of paragraph 353 of the tariff act; or if they should be classified as “parts” of such a machine having as an essential feature an electrical element or device.

The pertinent text of the Tariff Act of 1930 concerned herein is as follows:

Merchandise assessed under:

Paragraph 353, as modified by T.D. 52739:

Articles having as an essential feature an electrical element or device, * * * :
*******
Other (* * *)-13%% ad val.
Parts, finished or unfinished, wholly or in chief value of metal, not specially provided for, of articles provided for in any item 353 of this Part (* * *). The same rate of duty as the articles of which they are parts.

Importer claims under:

Paragraph 372, as modified by T.D. 54108:

Machines, finished or unfinished, not specially provided for:
*******
Other (* * *)-11%% ad val.

Examination of Joseph Gaus, the sole witness for the plaintiff, comprised the record of testimony in the instant case. Qualifications of the said witness were adduced by counsel for the plaintiff and thereafter he was questioned on cross-examination by defendant’s counsel.

The witness stated that, since 1955, he was a special assistant to the vice president of the plaintiff corporation, manufacturer and builder of tube mill machinery. He had been working generally in connection with engineering and machine design work for 7 years and had always been connected with that type of work since 1935. He had attended Oonnelley Trade School in Pittsburgh, Pa., for 5 years.

Describing the pump and explaining its operation and function, the witness stated that it was approximately 7 inches in diameter and 12 to 14 inches in length; that the function of the pump was to convert mechanical energy to [406]*406hydraulic energy for transmission to the varied operations of presses. It pumps hydraulic fluid, which can be either basic oil or the synthetic fluids. It performs its function of a pump by the rotation of a shaft extending through the end cover of the pump case, driving an offset cam. This cam, in turn, is connected to nine pistons, which are held in relation to each other in a cylinder body, which is bored to a size to receive the pistons. The pistons are similar to those used in an automotive engine, only they have a slightly different design, a much smaller reciprocate in the body. As the main shaft is rotated, it turns the cam which causes the horizontal or linear position of the pistons in the cylinder body, by suction, to receive oil on one side of what is called a valve plate while the pistons are in furthermost position. As the pistons return, oil. is sucked from the reservoir into the piston cylinder chamber which, in turn, by rotation of the cam, will push the piston back out into the cylinder, which then changes the displacement and discharges the oil through the pressure chamber of the pump, discharging it to the system.

The witness went on to state that the pump obtained its power through a pulley drive and that it could be used for different types of machines for other purposes, such as plastic extrusion presses, in powdered metal presses, and in conjunction with hydraulic motored drives on certain injection molding machines. He stated that he was testifying from actual observation.

Cross-examination by Government counsel added further to the description and operation of the machine. The witness stated that the pump was bolted to the press, on the side of an oil reservoir, about 2% feet above the base line of the reservoir. The function of the pump was to supply fluid power under pressure. He stated that the pump was essential to the working of the powder press and that the press worked on an electrical time sequence control system.

On redirect examination, the witness stated that the powder press required a pump, and that not only this particular pump, but others and different types could be used.

The first question herein presented for the court’s consideration is whether the imported merchandise, the hyrdaulic high pressure pumps, are “parts” of a machine or article have as an essential feature an electrical element or device, within the meaning of paragraph S53 of the tariff act, as modified.

Secondly, if it is not such a part, does the involved pump have as an essential feature an electrical element or device?

On the subject of “parts,” the first question presented herein, we find the recent case of Gallagher & Ascher Company v. United States, 52 CCPA —, C.A.D. 849, in which other earlier pertinent cases on parts are discussed.

In the Gallagher & Ascher Company case, supra, certain imported auxiliary heaters for Volkswagen automobiles were classified under paragraph 353, supra, as “Articles having as an essential feature an electrical element or device * * * such as heaters * * Appellant contended that the auxiliary heaters should have been classified as parts of automobiles. Briefly, the factual situation as found from the record indicated that the conventional automobile heater provided heat only when the engine was running and after the engine had generated heat, which was blown by air over the warm engine and conducted into the occupied portion of the vehicle. Apparently, the conventional heater did not provide sufficient heat for heating, defrosting, etc., for the safe operation in certain colder climates, so that another, an auxiliary heater (the imported merchandise), was installed in the vehicle. This auxiliary heater operated on a different principle. On installation, it required a separate fuel line, running to the fuel tank, and an electrical switch from the panel connecting with the electrical system of the car. This auxiliary heater functioned independently of the automobile en-' gine and could produce heat whether the engine was running or not.

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Mannesmann-Meer, Inc. v. United States, 54 Cust. Ct. 405, 1965 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1966 (cusc 1965).

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