22.—(1) No person may use for trade an automatic gravimetric filling instrument unless—U.K.
(a)it is compliant with the essential requirements other than the provisions relating to permissible errors;
(b)the instrument operates within the limits of the maximum permissible error determined in accordance with paragraph 23;
(c)the requirements of paragraphs 24 and 25 are complied with;
(d)it has been erected and installed in accordance with the requirements of paragraph 26;
(e)subject to paragraph (f), where test fills are required these limits are determined on the basis of consecutive fills; and
(f)in the case of an instrument of the description and maximum capacity set out respectively, in columns 1 and 2 of the Table set out in this paragraph, it is within the accuracy class specified for that instrument in column 3 or within an accuracy class of a higher level of precision than the specified class.
| Description of use of filling instrument | Maximum capacity of filling instruments | Accuracy Class |
|---|---|---|
| (1) | (2) | (3) |
| For use for weighing potato crisps and other snack foods | Any capacity | X(2) |
| For use for weighing solid fuel | 110 kg or less | X(1) |
| For use for weighing vegetable produce | 55 kg or less | X(1) |
| For weighing waste | Any capacity | X(1) |
| For use for weighing materials not described in any of the above | Less than 5 kg | X(1) |
| 5 kg or more | X(0.5) |
23.—(1) A automatic gravimetric filling instrument shall have a specified accuracy class X(x) for which the maximum permissible error value of each fill from the average shall be equal to the limits specified in the following table, multiplied by the class designation factor (x) calculated in accordance with sub-paragraph (2)—
| Value of the mass of the fills (m) in grams | Maximum permissible deviation of each fill from the average for class X(1) |
|---|---|
| In use | |
| m ≤ 50 | 9% |
| 50 ˂ m ≤ 100 | 4.5 grams |
| 100 ˂ m ≤ 200 | 4.5% |
| 200 ˂ m ≤ 300 | 9 grams |
| 300 ˂ m ≤ 500 | 3% |
| 500 ˂ m ≤ 1000 | 15 grams |
| 1 000 ˂ m ≤ 10 000 | 1.5% |
| 10 000 ˂ m ≤ 15 000 | 150 grams |
| 15 000 ˂ m | 1% |
(2) In sub-paragraph (1), (x) shall be 1 x 10k, 2 x 10k, 5 x 10k, k being a positive or negative whole number or zero.
(3) For in-service testing, when the reference particle mass exceeds 0.1 of the maximum permissible in-service deviation, the values derived from the table in sub-paragraph (1) shall be increased by 1.5 times the value of the reference particle mass. However the maximum value of the maximum permissible deviation shall not exceed (x) by 9%.
(4) Particle mass correction is not applicable to limits which are derived from the table in sub-paragraph (1) including influence quality tests and zero setting.
(5) The table in sub-paragraph (1) is illustrative of the maximum permissible deviation where the class designation factor is 1.
24.—(1) Where an automatic gravimetric filling instrument is marked with a temperature range, it must not be used for trade in temperatures outside that range.
(2) Where an automatic gravimetric filling instrument bears a mark which signifies the manner and purpose of use, it must not be used for trade in a manner or for a purpose which does not accord with that marking.
(3) An automatic gravimetric filling instrument must only be used for trade for the purpose of weighing material the value of which, expressed in units of measurement of mass, is neither less than the value of the minimum capacity nor more than the value of the maximum capacity.
(4) An automatic gravimetric filling instrument must not be used for trade in circumstances—
(a)in which it may be prevented from operating consistently or accurately; or
(b)which are likely prematurely to degrade its metrological characteristics.
25.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), a person must not use an automatic gravimetric filling instrument for trade unless it is properly balanced or set to zero immediately prior to use.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply in the case of an instrument if it is designed so as not to balance when unloaded.
26.—(1) Every automatic gravimetric filling instrument must be so positioned as to facilitate cleaning and testing.
(2) Any special equipment for the control of measuring tasks performed by an automatic gravimetric filling instrument which is not a permanent fixture of the instrument must be kept in the vicinity of the instrument.