| (1) |
The capacity of a length measuring instrument and the value of the smallest graduation of indication must be marked on the indicating dial or on a non-destructible plate securely attached to an essential part of the measuring instrument and in a prominent position. |
| (2) |
On a length measuring instrument of which the measuring device is a roller— |
| (a) |
the measuring roller must be made of a material strong enough to preclude any deformation of the roller or change in its dimensions in normal use; |
| (b) |
the peripheral surface of the measuring roller must be made of a material that are roughened sufficiently to prevent slipping of the material being measured relative to the roller; |
| (c) |
the axis of the measuring roller must be perpendicular to the direction of travel of the material; |
| (d) |
the measuring roller and any pressing or driving roller or device must be truly parallel when in position for measuring; |
| (e) |
where required due to the construction or method of introducing the material to be measured into the measuring instrument, an index or datum line must be provided on the length measuring instrument for denoting the beginning and the end of the quantity of material measured; |
| (f) |
a device must be provided to prevent indication of measurement without material passing through the measuring instrument and to prevent the measuring instrument from continuing to register when the end of a piece of material being measured has passed the measuring roller; and |
| (g) |
must not impact on the material which is measured e.g. change the shape or density of the material. |
| (3) |
In the case of a length measuring instrument for use in the retail trade— |
| (a) |
a device for resetting the indicator or counter to zero must be provided; |
| (b) |
the resetting device must be so arranged that the rollers are freed when the device is operated; |
| (c) |
the resetting device may operate automatically in conjunction with a marking or cutting device or manually by means of a special control; |
| (d) |
the device specified in subregulation (2)(f) must be interlocked with the resetting device so that material cannot be introduced into the measuring instrument until it has been reset; and |
| (e) |
the lengths measured and the money values, where provided, must be indicated on both the seller's and purchaser's sides of the measuring instrument. |
| (a) |
The value of the smallest graduation of a length measuring instrument must be 1 m or 1 x 10n, 2 x 10n or 5 x 10n of 1 m where the exponent "n" is a negative whole number. |
| (b) |
In the case of a length measuring instrument for use in the retail trade— |
| (i) |
the value of the smallest graduation on the dial must be not more than 0,1 m; |
| (ii) |
where the value of the smallest graduation is 0,1 m, the distance between graduation lines measured from centre to centre must be not less than 15 mm and where the value of the smallest graduation is less than 0,1 m such minimum distance must bear the same relation to the value of the graduations, but must be not less than 1,5 mm; |
Provided that this requirement must not apply to a measuring instrument which indicates lengths by means of a digital or semi-digital counter on which each graduation is figured;
| (iii) |
where a measuring instrument indicates money values, the distance between money value graduation lines measured from centre to centre must be not less than 0,6 mm; |
| (iv) |
the width of any graduation line must be not more than one quarter of the distance between graduation lines but not less than 0,2 mm or more than 1 mm; and |
| (v) |
the width of any index pointer, line or cord must be not greater than the width of the graduation lines. |
| (c) |
In the case of a length measuring instrument for use in the wholesale trade— |
| (i) |
the value of the smallest graduation on the dial must be not more than one tenthousandth of the capacity of the measuring instrument; and |
| (ii) |
where the value of the smallest graduation is 1m, the distance between graduation lines measured from centre to centre must be not less than 15 mm and where the value of the smallest graduation is less than 1m such minimum distance must bear the same relation to the value of the graduations but must be not less than 1,5 mm: |
Provided that this requirement must not apply to a measuring instrument which indicates lengths by means of a digital or semi-digital counter on which each graduation is figured.
| (5) |
Graduations of a length-measuring instrument must be figured at intervals of not more than 10 graduations and where the indications are partly enclosed, the aperture through which the indication is read must be large enough to permit the next lower figured graduation to be read. |
| (a) |
Any totalising counter, ticket printer, pre-setting device or other ancillary device on a length measuring instrument must function properly throughout its range and printed results of measurements must be clearly legible. |
| (b) |
Any length-measuring instrument approved after the promulgation of these regulations, which is intended for measuring a stretchable material, must be provided with a relaxing device to ensure that the material is not stretched while it is being measured. |
| (c) |
A length-measuring instrument provided with a pre-setting counter must be provided with a locking device which, once the required length has been measured, will prevent any further measurement until the counter is again set. |
| (a) |
A length-measuring instrument provided with a price computing chart must be examined to ensure that the indications of unit prices and money values are in correct alignment with the indications of length and at least three computations must be checked to ensure their general accuracy. |
| (b) |
When a measurement standard tape that complies with the requirements in Part III of these regulations or a measured length of material normally measured by a length measuring instrument is passed through the measuring instrument at right angles to the axis of the measuring roller, indications must be accurate throughout the measuring range of the measuring instrument whether the test direction flow is forward or backward. |
| (c) |
In the case of a length-measuring instrument for use in the retail trade the indications on both the seller and purchaser sides must agree. |
| (d) |
Unless a length-measuring instrument is provided with a device to prevent reverse action, a measurement standard tape that complies with the requirements in Part III of the regulations or measured material must be passed through the measuring instrument in a reverse direction in order to discover any possible backlash in the mechanism and such backlash must not exceed one-tenth of the value of the smallest graduation. |
| (e) |
When the end of a piece of material being measured by a length measuring instrument has passed the measuring roller, the result of measurement must not be more than one half of the value of the smallest graduation. |
| (8) |
The errors permitted on length measuring instruments are shown in Table 12: |
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
|
TABLE 12
|
|
Length tested
|
Error permitted
|
|
In deficiency
|
In excess
|
|
Up to 1 m
|
5 mm
|
10 mm
|
|
Over 1 m but under 5 m
|
10 mm
|
20 mm
|
|
5 m and over
|
0,2% of the length measured
|
0,4% of the length measured
|
| (a) |
The verification mark must be applied in a position as described in the type approval documentation, if not described it shall be applied in a conspicuous, essential and accessible part of a length measuring instrument or in a cup securely attached thereto. |
| (b) |
Protective marks (seals) must be applied to the measuring instrument to prevent unauthorised access to any adjusting device or to the working parts, in a position as described in the type approval documentation. |
Older Persons Act, 2006
