USE OF BOTTLES AS MEASURING INSTRUMENTS REGULATIONS

USE OF BOTTLES AS MEASURING INSTRUMENTS

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 454.12

USE OF BOTTLES AS MEASURING INSTRUMENTS

REGULATIONS

15th September, 2006 *

LEGAL NOTICE 416 of 2002.

The title of these regulations is the Use of Bottles as

Measuring Instruments Regulations.

For the purposes of these regulations, all the definitions in

the Malta Standards Authority Act shall apply, and in addition,

unless the context otherwise requires

"bottles" shall have the·meaning assigned to it by regulation 3.

(1) These regulations shall apply to containers commonly

called bottles, made of glass or any other substance having such

r i g id i t y a n d s t ab i l i t y t h at i t o ff e r s t h e s am e m e t e r o lo g i c al

guarantees a s glass, when such containers

(a) are stoppered or designed to be stoppered and are

intended for the storage, transport or delivery of

liquids,

(b) have a nominal capacity of between 0.05 litre and five

litres inclusive,

(c) have

meterological

characteristics

(design

characteristics and uniformity of manufacture) such

that they can be used as measuring containers, i.e.

when they are filled up to a specified level or to a

specified percentage of their brim capacity their

contents can be measured with sufficient accuracy.

(2)

Such containers shall be called measuring container bottles.

(1) Only measuring container bottles which meet the

requirements of these regulations may be marked with the EEC

sign provided for in the third sub-paragraph of paragraph 5 of

Annex 1.

(2) Such bottles shall be subject to meterological control under

the conditions specified in the Annexes.

(3) The marketing and use as measuring containers of bottles

which satisfy the requirements and tests laid down in these

regulations may not be refused, prohibited or restricted for reasons

concerning their volume, the determination of their volume or the

methods by which they have been checked.

*See regulation 1(2) of these regulations as originally promulgated, and Legal Notice

217 of 2006.

USE OF BOTTLES AS MEASURING INSTRUMENTS

ANNEX I

1. Measuring container bottles shall be characterized by the following

capacities which are always specified for a temperature of 20°C

1.1.

the nominal capacity V n is the volume which is marked on the bottle; it

is the volume of liquid which the latter is deemed to contain when it is filled in the

conditions of use for which it is intended;

1.2.

the brim capacity of the bottle is the volume of liquid it contains when

filled to the brim;

1.3.

the actual capacity of the bottle is the volume of liquid it in fact contains

when it is filled exactly under the conditions corresponding theoretically to the

nominal capacity.

2. There are two methods of filling measuring container bottles

(a) to a constant level,

(b) to a constant vacuity.

The distance between the theoretical filling level for the nominal capacity and the

brim level and the difference between the brim capacity and the nominal capacity,

known as the volume of expansion or vacuity, shall be perceptibly constant for all

bottles of the same type, that is, for all bottles made to the same design.

3. In order to make it possible, allowing for the usual uncertainties in

filling, to measure the volume of the contents of measuring container bottles with

sufficient accuracy, and in particular with the accuracy required by the regulations

on prepackages, the maximum permissible errors (positive or negative) in the

capacity of a measuring bottle container, i.e. the greatest differences permitted

(positive or negative) at the temperature of 20°C and under the control conditions

laid down in Annex II, between the actual capacity and the nominal capacity V n shall

be in accordance with the following table

Maximum permissible errors

Nominal capacity V n in millimetres

as a % of V n

in millilitres

From 50 to 100

-

From 100 to 200

-

From 200 to 300

-

From 300 to 500

-

From 500 to 1000

-

From 1000 to 5000

-

The maximum permissible error in the brim capacity shall be the same as the

maximum permissible error in the corresponding nominal capacity.

The systematic exploitation of tolerances shall be prohibited.

4. In practice, the actual capacity of a measuring container bottle shall be

checked by determining the quantity of water at 20°C, which the bottle actually

contains when filled to the level theoretically corresponding to the nominal capacity.

It may also be checked indirectly hy method of equivalent accuracy.

Every manufacturer of measuring container bottles shall submit for the

approval of the competent authority a mark by which he can be identified.

When this authority has given its approval, it shall inform the competent

interested parties thereof within one month.

USE OF BOTTLES AS MEASURING INSTRUMENTS

The manufacturer shall, on his own responsibility, affix the sign ε (reversed

epsilon) referred to in regulation 6 of the Measuring Instrument and Methods of

Metrological Control Regulations, certifying that the bottle meets the requirements

of these regulations and of the Annexes thereto. However, the date, origin and

reference number provided for in Annex I, paragraph 6.3 to the same Regulations

shall not be required.

This sign shall be at least 3 mm high.

The competent authority shall check that the measuring container bottles

comply with the provisions of these regulations by sampling at the place of

manufacture or, if this is not practicable, on the premises of the importer or his

agent.

This statistical sampling check shall be carried out in accordance with the

accepted methods or quality acceptance inspection. Its effectiveness shall be

comparable to that of' the reference method specified in Annex II.

These regulations shall not preclude any checks that may be carried out

by the compctent authority in the course of trade.

A measuring container bottle shall bear the following indelible, easily

legible and visible indications

8.1.

on its side, on the bottom rim or on the bottom

8.1.1.

an indication of its nominal capacity in litres, centilitres or millilitres in

figures at least 6 mm high, if the nominal capacity is greater that 100 cl, 4 mm high

if it is from 100 cl down to but not including 20 cl and 3 mm high if it is not more

that 20 cl, followed by the symbol for the unit of measurement used or, where

appropriate, by the name of the unit in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 1

of the Metrology Act;

8.1.2.

the manufacturer’s identifying mark prescribed in the first paragraph of

Section 5;

8.1.3.

the sign prescribed in the third paragraph of Section 5;

8.2.

On the bottom or on the bottom rim, in such a manner as to avoid

confusion with the previous indication, in figures on the same minimum height as

those expressing the corresponding nominal capacity, according to the method or

methods of filling for which the bottle is intended

8.2.1.

an indication of the brim capacity expressed in centilitres and not

followed by the symbol cl,

8.2.2.

and, or an indication of the distance in millimetres from the brim level

to the filling level corresponding to the nominal capacity, followed by the symbol

mm.

Other indications may appear on the bottle provided they do not give rise to

confusion with the compulsory indications.

USE OF BOTTLES AS MEASURING INSTRUMENTS

ANNEX II

This Annex lays down the procedures from the statistical checking of measuring

container bottles in order to meet the requirements of regulation 2 of these

regulations and item 6 of Annex I.

1. METHOD OF SAMPLING

A sample of measuring container bottles of the same design and the same

manufacture shall be drawn from a batch corresponding, in principle, to an hour’s

production.

If the result of the check on a batch corresponding to an hour’s production is not

satisfactory, a second test can be carried out, based either on another sample from a

batch corresponding to a longer period of production or, where production has been

subject to check recognized by the competent authority, on the results recorded on

the manufacturers’ check-cards.

The number of measuring container bottles constituting the sample shall be 35 or

40, depending on which of the two methods of applying the results, detailed in

Section 3, has been chosen.

2. MEASURING THE CAPACITY OF THE MEASURING CONTAINER

BOTTLES CONSTITUTING THE SAMPLE

The sample container bottles shall be weighed empty.

They shall be filled with water at 20°C of a know density, up to the filling level

appropriate to the method of checking used.

They shall then be weighed in full.

The check shall be carried out by means of a legal measuring instrument, suitable

for effecting the necessary operations.

Error in measuring the capacity shall not be greater then one-fifth of the maximum

permissible error corresponding to the nominal capacity of the measuring container

bottle.

3. APPLICATION OF THE RESULTS

3.1.

Use of the standard deviation method

The number of measuring container bottles in the sample 35.

3.1.1.

Calculate as follows: (see 3.1.4.)

3.1.1.1.

the average x of the actual capacities x i of the bottles in the sample,

3.1.1.2. estimated standard deviation s of the actual capacities x i of the bottles

in the batch.

3.1.2.

Calculate as follows

3.1.2.1. The upper limit T s : the sum of the indicated capacity (see Annex I,

Section 8) and of the maximum permissible error corresponding to this capacity.

3.1.2.2. The lower limit T i : the difference between the indicated capacity (see

Annex I, Section 8) and the maximum permissible error corresponding to this

capacity.

3.1.3.

Acceptance criteria

The batch shall be declared to comply with these regulations if the numbers x and

s verify simultaneously the following three inequations

x + k · s < T s

USE OF BOTTLES AS MEASURING INSTRUMENTS

x - k · s > T i

s < F(T s -T i )

where k = 1.57 and F = 0.266

Calculation of the mean value x and the estimated standard deviation s

of the batch.

Calculate as follows

the sum of 35 actual capacity measurements x = Σ x i

Σ x i

the mean value of the 35 measurements x =

the sum of the squares of the 35 measurements Σ x i2 • the cOITcctcd 3.2.

the square of the sum of the 35 measurements (Σ x i ) 2 , then

(Σ x i ) 2

(Σ x i ) 2

the corrected sum SC = Σ x i2 -

SC

the estimated variance v =

√ v

Hence the estimated standatd deviation: s =

Use of the average of measuring range method

The number of measuring container bottles in the sample is 40.

Calculate as follows (see 3.2.4)

the average x of the actual capacities x i of the bottles in the sample,

the average range R of the actual capacities x i of the bottles in the

Calculate as follows

3.2.2.1. the upper limit T s the sum of the indicated capacity (see Annex I,

Section 8) and the maximum permissible error corresponding to capacity,

the lower limit T i

difference between the indicated capacity (see Annex I, Section 8) and

the maximum permissible error corresponding to this capacity.

Acceptance criterion

The batch shall be declared to comply with these regulations if the numbers x and

R verify simultaneously the following three inequations

x + k' · R < T s

x + k' · R > T i

R < F'(T s -T i )

where k' = 0.668,

and F' = 0.628.

Calculation of the mean value x and of the average range R of the 40

measuring container bottles in the sample.

USE OF BOTTLES AS MEASURING INSTRUMENTS

to obtain x, calculate as follows

the sum of the 40 actual capacity measurements x = Σ x i

Σ x i

the mean value of these 40 measurements: x =

To obtain R

Divide the sample, in chronological order of selection, into eight sub-samples of

five measuring container bottles each.

Calculate as follows

the range of each of the sub-samples, i.e. the difference between the

actual capacity of the largest and the smallest of the five bottles in the

sub-samples; eight ranges are thus obtained: R 1 , R 2 , ..., R 8

the sum of the ranges of the eight sub-samples

The average range R is therefore

Σ R 1

R 1 =