Trans-Atlantic Co. v. United States

70 Cust. Ct. 243, 1973 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 3397
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedJune 28, 1973
DocketC.D. 4459
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 70 Cust. Ct. 243 (Trans-Atlantic 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
Trans-Atlantic Co. v. United States, 70 Cust. Ct. 243, 1973 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 3397 (cusc 1973).

Opinion

Foed, Judge:

This case involves the proper classification of metal shelf brackets described on the invoice as “1230X1 Shelf Brackets [244]*244Black Jap” -which, were classified under item 647.03, Tariff Schedules of the United States, which provides as follows:

Hinges; and fittings and mountings not specially provided for, suitable for furniture, doors, windows, blinds, staircases, luggage, vehicle coach work, caskets, cabinets, and similar uses; all the foregoing, of base metal, whether or not coated or plated with precious metal:
Not coated or plated with precious metal:
Of iron or steel, of aluminum, or of zinc:
# # Jjf ‡ ‡ * *
647.03 Other_ 19% ad val.

Plaintiff in its original protest and by amendment has set forth numerous claims. However, only two claims are pressed and the others are therefore deemed abandoned and are accordingly dismissed. The primary claim of plaintiff is under item 609.84, Tariff Schedules of the United States, which reads as follows:

Schedule 6, part 2, subpart B:

Subpart B headnotes:
1. This subject covers iron and steel, their alloys, and their so-called basic shapes and forms, and in addition covers iron or steel waste and scrap.
#***#❖*
3. Forms and Condition of Iron or Steel. — For the purposes of this subpart, the following terms have the meanings hereby assigned to them:
* * # * * *
(d) Bars: Products of solid section not conforming completely to the respective specifications set forth herein for blooms, billets, slabs, sheet bars, wire rods, plates, sheets, strip, wire, rails, joint bars, or tie plates, and which have cross sections in the shape of circles, segments of circles, ovals, triangles, rectangles, hexagons, or octagons. Deformed concrete reinforcing bars are hot rolled steel bars, of solid cross section, having deformations of various patterns on their surfaces.
* * ‡ & * * *
(j) Angles, shapes, and sections: Products which do not conform completely to the respective specifications set forth herein for blooms, billets, slabs, sheet bars, bars, wire rods, plates, sheets, strip, wire, rails, joint bars, or tie plates, and do not include any tubular products.
[245]*245Angles, shapes, and sections, all the foregoing, of iron or steel, hot rolled, forged, extruded, or drawn, or cold formed or cold finished, whether or not drilled, punched, or otherwise advanced; sheet piling of iron or steel:
Angles, shapes, and sections:
Hot rolled; or, cold formed and weighing over 0.29 pound per linear foot:
***♦*: * *
Drilled, punched, or other-Avise advanced:
609.84 Other than alloy iron or
steel- 7.5% ad val.

Alternatively, plaintiff contends the involved dhelf brackets are properly subject to classification under the following language contained in item 652.94, Tariff Schedules of the United States:

Hangars and other buildings, bridges, bridge sections, lock-gates, towers, lattice masts, roofs, roofing frameworks, door and Avindow frames, shutters, balustrades, columns, pillars, and posts, and other structures and parts of structures, all the foregoing of base metal:
Of iron or steel:
❖ ❖ 9fi Vfi JJÍ
Columns, pillars, posts, beams, girders, and similar structural units:
Not in part of alloy iron or steel:
*******
652.94 Other_ 7.5% ad val.

The record consists of the testimony of two -witnesses, one called on behalf of each party, three exhibits, plaintiff’s exhibit 1 and defendant’s exhibits A 'and B, the official papers which were received in evidence without being marked and the following stipulations approved by the court:

It Is HeReby Stipulated and Ageeed by and between counsel for. the Plaintiff and the Assistant Attorney General for the United States, Defendant, subject to the approval of the court, that the articles under protest, invoiced as “1230X1 Shelf Bracket Black Jap”, have been cold formed, weigh over 0.29 pound per linear foot, and are composed of iron, not alloy iron. They are made in one piece of “T”-iron, and, to produce the imported item, a portion of the edge or web (leg of the “T”) between the [246]*246■wall and. the supporting surface lias been removed, and the iron has then been bent and the edges (along the portion that has been removed) have been brought together ana welded. The shelf brackets, in use, are attached to some strong part of a structure, and, as attached, are used to support, among other things, heavy shelves and seats.
It is hereby stipulated and agreed by and between counsel for the plaintiff, and the Assistant Attorney General for the United States, defendant, that the articles under protest, invoiced as “1230X1 Shelf Bracket Black Jap” are commonly known as “shelf brackets”, and they are able to bear a load of 250 kilograms on the middle of the supporting flange.

Bichard Muenzer, vice president of plaintiff, was called to identify a sample of the imported shelf brackets which was received in evidence as plaintiff’s exhibit 1. The witness testified exhibit 1 came out of the involved shipment but was painted after importation by error. At the time of importation, the bracket had a “black Japan finish” which is a black high gloss finish.

Defendant called as its witness, Lewis Gibbs, product administrator for structural and plate products for United States Steel Corporation. Mr. Gibbs holds a degree in civil engineering and has taken courses in metallurgy and advanced business administration. The witness’ positions with United States Steel required him to be thoroughly familiar with the types of products with which he was working. He is also familiar with the processes and operations performed upon the' products which his firm sells. The witness having worked in the mill during his first two years of employment is familiar with the operation of the production of blooms and, billets, slabs and sheet bars, bars, wire rods, plates and sheets, strip, wire, rails, joint bars, tie plates, angles, shapes and sections, all of which have a uniform cross section.

Based upon an examination of plaintiff’s exhibit 1, Mr. Gibbs testified he is able to determine the basic iron or steel form used to make said exhibit as well as the processes used. The basic form, according to the witness, is a rolled tee similar to the article produced by his company and received in evidence as defendant’s exhibit A. A rolled tee is produced as follows:

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Related

Sandvik Steel, Inc. v. United States
75 Cust. Ct. 68 (U.S. Customs Court, 1975)
Avins Industrial Products Co. v. United States
72 Cust. Ct. 43 (U.S. Customs Court, 1974)

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Bluebook (online)
70 Cust. Ct. 243, 1973 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 3397, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/trans-atlantic-co-v-united-states-cusc-1973.