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Legislation.gov.uk publishes the UK version. EUR-Lex publishes the EU version. The EU Exit Web Archive holds a snapshot of EUR-Lex’s version from IP completion day (31 December 2020 11.00 p.m.).
This is the original version (as it was originally adopted).
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 100 thereof;
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission;
Having regard to the Opinion of the European Parliament;
Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee;
Whereas the manufacture and the procedures for inspection of weights of above-medium accuracy are subject to strict regulations which differ between Member States and thus hinder trade in these weights; whereas these regulations must therefore be aligned;
Whereas the Council Directive of 26 July 1971(1) on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to common provisions for both measuring instruments and methods of metrological control laid down the EEC pattern approval procedure and the EEC initial verification procedure; whereas, pursuant to that Directive, the technical specifications which weights of above-medium accuracy must satisfy in order to be put freely on the market and into service, after verifications and affixing of the EEC initial verification mark, must be laid down;
Whereas account should be taken of the draft international recommendation, ‘valeur conventionnelle du résultat des pesées dans l'air’, of the International Organization of Legal Metrology, May 1973, in respect of the concept of conventional mass,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:
This Directive concerns weights of above-medium accuracy the nominal value of which is equal to 1 mg or more and less than or equal to 50 kg.
This Directive does not apply to metric carat weights or to special weights covered by other directives.
Weights which may receive the EEC marks and signs are listed in the Annex. They are not subject to EEC pattern approval; they must undergo EEC initial verification.
No Member State may prevent, prohibit or restrict the placing on the market or entry into service of weights referred to in Article 1 and bearing the EEC initial verification mark.
1.Member States shall put into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions needed in order to comply with this Directive within eighteen months of its notification and shall forthwith inform the Commission thereof.
2.Member States shall ensure that the texts of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive are communicated to the Commission.
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 4 March 1974.
For the Council
The President
W. Scheel
A physical measure of mass, whose constructional and metrological characteristics are determined by shape, size, material, finish, nominal value and maximum permissible error.
Series of weights generally presented in a box, in such a combination as to allow weighings of all loads from the smallest nominal weight up to the sum of all the weights in the set, in a sequence of which the smallest nominal weight in the set is the unit.
The sequence in a set of weights is generally as follows:
(1; 1; 2; 5) × 10n kg
(1; 1; 1; 2; 5) × 10n kg
(1; 2; 2; 5) × 10n kg
(1; 1; 2; 2; 5) × 10n kg
In these expressions, n represents either zero, or a positive or negative whole number.
Weights used in the inspection of weighing machines and weights are known as standard weights.
The nominal value of the weights must be equal to 1 × 10n kg, or 2 × 10n kg, or 5 × 10n kg; in these expressions n represents either zero or a positive or negative whole number.
Nominal Values | Class E1 | Class E2 | Class F1 | Class F2 | Class M1 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
50 kg | 25 | 75 | 250 | 750 | 2 500 |
20 kg | 10 | 30 | 100 | 300 | 1 000 |
10 kg | 5 | 15 | 50 | 150 | 500 |
5 kg | 2·5 | 7·5 | 25 | 75 | 250 |
2 kg | 1·0 | 3·0 | 10 | 30 | |
1 kg | 0·50 | 1·5 | 5 | 15 | 50 |
500 g | 0·25 | 0·75 | 2·5 | 7·5 | 25 |
200 g | 0·10 | 0·30 | 1·0 | 3·0 | 10 |
100 g | 0·05 | 0·15 | 0·5 | 1·5 | 5 |
50 g | 0·030 | 0·10 | 0·30 | 1·0 | 3·0 |
20 g | 0·025 | 0·080 | 0·25 | 0·8 | 2·5 |
10 g | 0·020 | 0·060 | 0·20 | 0·6 | 2·0 |
5 g | 0·015 | 0·050 | 0·15 | 0·5 | 1·5 |
2 g | 0·012 | 0·040 | 0·12 | 0·4 | 1·2 |
1 g | 0·010 | 0·030 | 0·10 | 0·3 | 1·0 |
500 mg | 0·008 | 0·025 | 0·08 | 0·25 | 0·8 |
200 mg | 0·006 | 0·020 | 0·06 | 0·20 | 0·6 |
100 mg | 0·005 | 0·015 | 0·05 | 0·15 | 0·5 |
50 mg | 0·004 | 0·012 | 0·04 | 0·12 | 0·4 |
20 mg | 0·003 | 0·010 | 0·03 | 0·10 | 0·3 |
10 mg | 0·002 | 0·008 | 0·025 | 0·08 | 0·25 |
5 mg | 0·002 | 0·006 | 0·020 | 0·06 | 0·20 |
2 mg | 0·002 | 0·006 | 0·020 | 0·06 | 0·20 |
1 mg | 0·002 | 0·006 | 0·020 | 0·06 | 0·20 |
A one-gramme weight may have the shape of multiples of one gramme or the shape of the sub-multiples.
The shapes of the weights shall give an indication of their nominal value.
Polygonal laminated strips, their shape and values:
triangle for 1 — 10 — 100 — 1 000 mg
quadrilateral for 2 — 20 — 200 mg
pentagon for 5 — 50 — 500 mg
Polygonal wire segments and their values:
1 segment for 1 — 10—100 — 1 000 mg
2 segments for 2 — 20 — 200 mg
5 segments for 5 — 50 — 500 mg
Where two or three weights in the set are identical, they shall be distinguished by one or two asterisks or dots respectively in the case of laminated strips and one or two hooks respectively in the case of wires.
The surface of class M1 10 kg to 1 kg cylindrical weights shall be polished, and shall show no porosity to the naked eye. The surface condition of class M1 50, 20, 10 and 5 kg parallelepiped weights shall be comparable to that of grey cast iron carefully cast in a fine sand mould.
Weights of F1 and F2 accuracy classes with an adjustment cavity shall be adjusted either with the same material as that of which they are constituted, or with pure tin, or with molybdenum.
ClassM1 weights may be adjusted with lead.
in classes E1 and E2 shall bear no indication of their nominal value;
in class F1 shall bear only the indication of nominal value as laid down in point 9.2.1.; this indication shall be burnished or engraved;
in class F2 shall bear the inscriptions of class F1 accompanied by the letter F;
in class M1 shall bear the nominal value marked in figures followed by the symbol of the appropriate unit, either recessed or embossed, on the upper face of the body or knob of the weights.
Cylindrical weights shall be marked with the letter M, either recessed or embossed; parallelepiped weights shall be marked with the letter M which need not be recessed or embossed.
kilogrammes for weights of 1 kilogramme or more,
grammes for weights of 1 gramme to 500 grammes.
Boxes containing E1, E2, and F1 class weights, and all boxes containing the gramme and sub-multiples of the gramme, shall be sealed with the EEC final verification mark.
For class F2 weights the EEC final verification mark shall be affixed to the cover of the adjustment cavity, and where there is no adjustment cavity, upon the base of the weight. For class M1 weights of one gramme to 50 kg the EEC final verification mark shall be placed upon the lead sealing the adjustment cavity opening, or upon the base in the case of weights having no adjustment cavity.
individual weights or series of weights up to a value of 500 grammes shall be contained in boxes,
weights having a nominal value greater than 500 grammes may be contained in boxes, fitted in a stand or presente d individually, without protection.
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