The Weighing Equipment (Automatic Catchweighing Instruments) Regulations 2003

PART I U.K. PRELIMINARY

Citation and commencement U.K.

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Weighing Equipment (Automatic Catchweighing Instruments) Regulations 2003 and shall come into force on 3rd March 2004.

Interpretation U.K.

2.—(1) In these Regulations—

“the Act” means the Weights and Measures Act 1985;

“accuracy class” means designation as Class Y(a) or Y(b), together referred to as Class Y(y), in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 1;

“automatic catchweighing instrument” means an automatic weighing instrument which weighs pre-assembled discrete loads or single loads of loose material, but does not include—

(a)

an automatic weight grading instrument, that is to say, an instrument which sub-divides articles of different mass into several sub-groups each characterised by a given mass range; or

(b)

an automatic checkweighing instrument, that is to say, an instrument which sub-divides articles of different mass into two or more sub-groups according to the value of the difference between their mass and the nominal set point;

“automatic weighing instrument” means a weighing instrument which weighs without the intervention of an operator and follows a pre-determined programme of automatic processes characteristic of the instrument;

“automatic zero-setting device” means a device for setting the indication to zero automatically without the intervention of an operator;

“certificate of approval” means a certificate of approval of a pattern granted or renewed by the Secretary of State under section 12 of the Act;

“control instrument” means a weighing instrument used to determine the mass of the test loads;

“initial verification testing” means testing in accordance with the provisions of regulation 6(c);

“level indicator” means a device which indicates when the structure to which it is attached is tilted away from its correct operating position;

“load receptor” means a part of an automatic catchweighing instrument intended to receive the load;

“load transport system” means the system used to transport the load over the load receptor;

“maximum capacity” means the maximum weighing capacity, not taking into account the additive tare capacity;

“minimum capacity” means the rated value of the load below which the weighing results may be subject to an excessive relative error;

“non-automatic zero-setting device” means a device for setting the indication to zero by an operator;

“OIML R51” or “R51” means the International Recommendation OIML R51 of the Organisation Internationale de Métrologie Légale relating to automatic catchweighing instruments (Edition 1996 (E));

“prescribed limits of error” has the meaning set out in regulation 10(3);

“semi-automatic zero-setting device” means a device for setting the indication to zero automatically following a manual command;

“the stamp” or “verification mark” means the prescribed stamp M1 ;

“tare device” means a device for setting the weight indicating device to zero when a load is placed on the load receptor—

(a)

without altering the weighing range for net loads (additive tare device); or

(b)

by reducing the weighing range for net loads (subtractive tare device);

“test load” means a load of the type of material which an automatic catchweighing instrument is intended to weigh;

“weight indicating device” means the device which indicates the weight of a load on a load receptor of the automatic catchweighing instrument; and

“zero-setting device” means a device which allows the setting of the indicating device to zero when the load receptor is empty.

(2) Any expression or procedure which is not defined in these Regulations and is used both in these Regulations and in OIML R51 shall bear the same meaning as in OIML R51.

Marginal Citations

M1 See S.I. 1968/1615, amended by S.I. 1999/504.

Application and Effect U.K.

3.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 4, these Regulations apply to automatic catchweighing instruments for use for trade, and such instruments are hereby prescribed for the purposes of section 11(1) of the Act (use for trade of weighing or measuring equipment of prescribed classes).

(2) These Regulations shall not apply to any automatic catchweighing instrument which is also capable of functioning as a non-automatic weighing instrument to which the Non-automatic Weighing Instruments Regulations 2000 M2 apply, when the instrument is being so used as a non-automatic weighing instrument.

(3) These Regulations shall not apply to any automatic catchweighing instrument which has been lawfully used for trade before these Regulations came into force.

Marginal Citations

M2 S.I. 2000/3236.

Transitional exclusion U.K.

4.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), these Regulations shall not apply to an automatic catchweighing instrument—

(a) which comprises an automatic catchweight weighing machine for the purposes of the Weighing Equipment (Non-automatic Weighing Machines) Regulations 2000 M3 ; and

(b) which, pursuant to regulation 3(6) thereof M4 , has been first passed as fit for use for trade, for the purposes of those Regulations, within a period of 10 years from the date on which these Regulations came into force.

(2) The exception provided in paragraph (1) does not apply in the case of an automatic catchweighing instrument which bears the marking “R51”.

Marginal Citations

M3 S.I. 2000/932.

M4 Regulation 3(6) is inserted pursuant to regulation 17(1) of these Regulations.