The Weighing Equipment (Non-automatic Weighing Machines) Regulations 1988

PART II MATERIALS, PRINCIPLES OF CONSTRUCTION AND MARKING OF NON-AUTOMATIC WEIGHING MACHINES

5.—(1) Where a non-automatic weighing machine has interchangeable or reversible parts, the interchange or reversal thereof shall not affect its metrological characteristics.

(2) The constituent parts of a non-automatic weighing machine shall be sufficiently strong to withstand the wear and tear of ordinary use in trade.

6.—(1) No non-automatic weighing machine shall have monetary indications in units other than decimal currency units.

(2) No price computing non-automatic weighing machine shall—

(a) indicate in digital form during a weighing operation a part of a penny in the amount of the price to be paid by the buyer; or

(b) indicate the price in digital form and have any monetary indications in units of a part of a penny in vulgar fraction form which are capable of being used during a weighing operation to calculate the price.

7.  The load receptor of a non-automatic weighing machine shall be so constructed as to provide for easy and practicable weighings for all test purposes not exceeding the maximum capacity of that machine, unless otherwise specified in the published particulars of the approved pattern.

8.  Where a non-automatic weighing machine is fitted with a zero setting device designed to compensate for the wear and tear of ordinary use in trade, the device shall have a total range not exceeding 4 per cent. of the maximum capacity of that machine, or as specified in the published particulars of the approved pattern, as the case may be.

9.  Every non-automatic weighing machine shall comply with the requirements in Schedule 2 to these Regulations for accuracy classification.

10.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) below, every non-automatic weighing machine shall be fitted with an adjustable levelling device or devices and one or more level indicating devices to cover all directions.

(2) Nothing in paragraph (1) above shall apply to a machine which is permanently installed, freely suspended, or is a Class II, Class III or Class IIII machine which meets the requirements of paragraph 16 in Part III of Schedule 3 to these Regulations.

11.—(1) Subject to the following paragraphs of this Regulation, every non-automatic weighing machine shall be made in accordance with a pattern in respect of which a certificate of approval is in force.

(2) The marking of a machine in accordance with the requirements of Regulation 15(2) below after it has been made in accordance with such a pattern shall not in itself be a breach of paragraph (1) above.

(3) Nothing in paragraph (1) above shall apply to a machine of the type known as “common form” which was first stamped before 4th April 1989.

(4) Any dispensation from the observance of the requirements of Regulation 5(1)(b) of the Weights and Measures Regulations 1963(1), being a dispensation made by the Secretary of State before 1st November 1988 under the provisions of section 14(3) of the Act or under section 14(3) of the Weights and Measure Act 1963(2) and relating to a non-automatic weighing machine, shall be deemed to be a dispensation from observance of the requirements of paragraph (1) above.

12.  Any pit provided for the installation of a non-automatic weighing machine shall be provided with adequate drainage.

13.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) below, the approved minimum load for a non-automatic weighing machine shall be that specified in Schedule 2 to these Regulations.

(2) Nothing in paragraph (1) above shall apply in the case of a machine in relation to which the published particulars of the approved pattern specify the amount of the minimum load appropriate to that particular pattern.

14.—(1) The graduated weight indicating, printing and tare devices of any non-automatic weighing machine which is first passed as fit for use for trade on or after 1st November 1988 shall—

(a) have scale intervals in one of the following forms:—

(i) 1 × 10ⁿ, 2 × 10ⁿ or 5 × 10ⁿ, the index n being a positive or a negative whole number or zero, or

(ii) ⅛ oz, ¼ oz, ½ oz, 1 oz, 2 oz, 4 oz, 8 oz, ¼ lb or ½ lb; and

(b) subject to paragraph (2) below, give weighing results which comply with the principle of reading by simple juxtaposition.

(2) The requirements of paragraph (1)(b) above shall not apply—

(a) to semi-self indicating machines with mechanical weight indicating devices which have a range of self indication of 2 lb, but no weight printing device;

(b) to semi-self indicating machines, made in accordance with an approved pattern, having mechanical weight indicating devices with a range of self indication of 500 g; or

(c) to that part of any weighing result which is obtained by adding the values of weights or poises.

15.—(1) Every non-automatic weighing machine first passed as fit for use for trade before 1st May 1989 shall be legibly and durably marked either as in paragraph (2) below or with—

(a) the name of the maker or supplier; and

(b) either—

(i) the maximum capacity of the weight indicating and printing devices, or

(ii) the purported capacity, where the maximum load exceeds the maximum capacity.

(2) Every non-automatic weighing machine which is passed as fit for use for trade on or after 1st May 1989 shall be legibly and durably marked with—

(a) the name of the maker or supplier;

,

,

or

(the accuracy classification of the machine, in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 2 to these Regulations);

(c) “Max . . .” (the maximum capacity of the weight indicating and weight printing devices);

(d) “Min . . .” (the approved minimum load);

(e) “e = . . .” (the verification scale interval associated with the weight indicating, printing and tare devices, which is determined by the requirements in Schedule 2 to these Regulations);

(f) where relevant—

(i) the number of the certificate of approval or of the notice of examination in respect of the pattern in accordance with which the machine is made, preceded by the words “Certification No.”, “Cert. No.” or “Notice No.”, as the case may be;

(ii) “T = − . . .” if different from “Max . . .” or “T = + . . .” (the maximum range of the subtractive or additive tare device respectively);

(iii) “d = . . .” and “d_T = . . .” if different from “e = . . .” (the scale intervals of the graduated weight indicating and/or printing devices and graduated tare devices respectively).

16.—(1) Where units of measurement are marked on non-automatic weighing machines first passed as fit for use for trade—

(a) before 27th April 1978, they shall be marked, in the case of the dram, in full or by means of the abbreviation or symbol, dr, only;

(b) before 1st December 1980, they shall be marked in full or, except in the case of the ton or stone, by means of one of the following abbreviations or symbols only:—

• cwt, qr, lb, oz, oz tr, gr, t, kg, kilog, g, grm, CM, mg;

(c) on or after those dates, they shall be marked in metric units or in pounds or ounces, in full or by means of one of the following abbreviations or symbols only:—

• lb, oz, oz tr, t, kg, g, CM, mg.

(2) Nothing in paragraph (1) above shall authorise the use for trade of the ton, hundredweight, quarter, stone or grain in any circumstances, other than those permitted by paragraph 14(1) and (3) of Schedule 11 to the Act or of the dram in any circumstances other than those permitted by paragraph 12(1) and (2) of that Schedule.

17.  Only a non-automatic weighing machine of Class I, or Class II with a maximum capacity not exceeding 12 kg, shall be provided with—

(a) a rider;

(b) a device for interpolation of reading; or

(c) an indicating device on which the last figure is clearly differentiated from the other figures.

18.  Where a non-automatic weighing machine which is first passed as fit for use for trade after 1st September 1989 shows price expressed as an amount of money per unit of weight, such unit of weight shall be expressed per ounce, per quarter pound, per pound, per hundred grams, per kilogram or per tonne.

19.—(1) Every non-automatic weighing machine which is in use for trade for operation by a prospective buyer for the purpose of making known to him the weight and where appropriate the price of goods selected by him whether as a customer check weighing machine or as a self service weighing machine shall—

(a) be a self indicating weighing machine; and

(b) be specified as being for such use in the published particulars of the approved pattern in the case of a weighing machine having a digital indicating device.

(2) In addition, any machine which is made available as a self service weighing machine shall—

(a) be a price computing weighing machine having digital displays of weight, unit price and price to pay, together with an associated label printer;

(b) have any bag provided for the goods selected by the prospective buyer such that the goods are readily visible through it; and

(c) only be used in connection with the sale of different commodities, other than commodities having the same unit price, provided that they are readily distinguishable from each other.

(3) Any machine which is provided solely as a customer check weighing machine shall be limited to a non-printing weighing machine.

20.  Every non-automatic weighing machine shall be provided with—

(a) either:

(i) an irremovable plug or stud made of soft metal; or

(ii) in the case of a Class I machine a special plate permanently and irremovably attached to the base of the machine; and

(b) such sealing arrangements as may be provided for the stamp as set out in the certificate of approval or the notice of examination in respect of that pattern.

(1)

S.I. 1963/1710; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 1964/76, 1970/1370, 1972/767, 1974/1326, 1977/1932, 1979/1612, 1983/914, 1655, 1984/1446, 1986/1320, 1682.

(2)

1963 c. 31.