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Weights and measures conference
NOTES FROM T H E U. S. B U R E A U OF S T A N D A R D S . * WEIGHTS
AND MEASURES CONFERENCE.
AMONG the important legislation reported upon by the secretary of the recent Weights and Measures Conference at the Bureau of Standards there were two national laws: The first was an act to establish a standard barrel and standard grades for apples when packed in barrels, which was approved August 3, 1912. " This act does not prevent the shipment in interstate commerce of either inferior apples or of apples packed in short barrels if they are not marked so as to bring them under the law. It merely provides that if apples are sold arm marked to conform with the regulations of the act, they must be packed in the standard barrel and be of specified quality and size." The other is an act of far-reaching importance in the amendment to the Food and Drugs Act, which requires that all food for interstate shipment put up in package form must have the net contents plainly and conspicuously marked on the outside of the package in terms of weight, measure, or numerical count, provided that reasonable variations shall be permitted and tolerances and exemptions as to small packages shall be established by rules and regulations made by the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Agri'culture, and the Secretary of Commerce. A board representing the three Secretaries is at present engaged in drawing up the rules 'and regulations for the enforcemerit of this act. This act has wide application in connection with the enforcement of t'he national Food and Drugs Act and similar acts passed by the various States. This decision, in substance, is that the States can not adopt regulations which are in conflict with those mad'e or adopted under the authority of Congress. The activity in the States in regard to weights and measures legislation reported on at the last meeting has been continued this year, the following named States having passed laws on the subject of weights and measures: Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana. Maine. Maryland, Massachusetts. Michigan, Minn* Communicated by the Bureau. 95
96
NOTES FROM U. S. B U R E A U OF STANDARDS:
esota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Somh Carolina, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington. Quite a number of other States considered bills, and the prospects are encouraging for considerable progress at the next legislative sessions. The conference has long been in favor of the passage of a law to establish a standard barrel for all dry commodities shipped from one State to another. Such bill was introduced into Congress at its last session. T H E T E S T I N G O F C A P A C I T Y MEASURES.* By R. Y. Ferner, Bureau of Standards.
THIS paper describes the methods used for determinations of the volume of capacity measures, varying from the precision test of high-grade primary standards for State governments to the rough determinations by linear measurements of the dimensions of the measure. The precision test is applied to measures used as standards by State and city sealers of weights and measures arm as master measures in manufacturing plants. The ,determination is made by weighing the amount of water contained in the measure, and from tables of water weights the correction of the measure is determined. Precautions to be observed in the filling and weighing of the measure are noted, and tables and charts are given for the rapid computation of the results. The method can be used to a~n accuracy of from one part in 5o,ooo to one in ioo,ooo. Factors that may be omitted in the application of this method where less accuracy is required are pointed out. For determinations to an accuracy of from one part in 500 to one'in IOOO the method of pouring water from a standard to the measure under test is used, and precautions to be observed in the manipulation are given. For the test of rougher measures, particularly of dry measures which will not hold water, tests are made with seeds as a medium. Results are given of a series of experiments made to determine which kinds of seeds are the best for this purpose. F o r the smaller measures the small * A paper read at the E i g h t h A n n u a l Conference on Weights Measures, held at the Bureau of Standards, May I4-I7, 1913.
and
AND MEASURES CONFERENCE.
AMONG the important legislation reported upon by the secretary of the recent Weights and Measures Conference at the Bureau of Standards there were two national laws: The first was an act to establish a standard barrel and standard grades for apples when packed in barrels, which was approved August 3, 1912. " This act does not prevent the shipment in interstate commerce of either inferior apples or of apples packed in short barrels if they are not marked so as to bring them under the law. It merely provides that if apples are sold arm marked to conform with the regulations of the act, they must be packed in the standard barrel and be of specified quality and size." The other is an act of far-reaching importance in the amendment to the Food and Drugs Act, which requires that all food for interstate shipment put up in package form must have the net contents plainly and conspicuously marked on the outside of the package in terms of weight, measure, or numerical count, provided that reasonable variations shall be permitted and tolerances and exemptions as to small packages shall be established by rules and regulations made by the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Agri'culture, and the Secretary of Commerce. A board representing the three Secretaries is at present engaged in drawing up the rules 'and regulations for the enforcemerit of this act. This act has wide application in connection with the enforcement of t'he national Food and Drugs Act and similar acts passed by the various States. This decision, in substance, is that the States can not adopt regulations which are in conflict with those mad'e or adopted under the authority of Congress. The activity in the States in regard to weights and measures legislation reported on at the last meeting has been continued this year, the following named States having passed laws on the subject of weights and measures: Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana. Maine. Maryland, Massachusetts. Michigan, Minn* Communicated by the Bureau. 95
96
NOTES FROM U. S. B U R E A U OF STANDARDS:
esota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Somh Carolina, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington. Quite a number of other States considered bills, and the prospects are encouraging for considerable progress at the next legislative sessions. The conference has long been in favor of the passage of a law to establish a standard barrel for all dry commodities shipped from one State to another. Such bill was introduced into Congress at its last session. T H E T E S T I N G O F C A P A C I T Y MEASURES.* By R. Y. Ferner, Bureau of Standards.
THIS paper describes the methods used for determinations of the volume of capacity measures, varying from the precision test of high-grade primary standards for State governments to the rough determinations by linear measurements of the dimensions of the measure. The precision test is applied to measures used as standards by State and city sealers of weights and measures arm as master measures in manufacturing plants. The ,determination is made by weighing the amount of water contained in the measure, and from tables of water weights the correction of the measure is determined. Precautions to be observed in the filling and weighing of the measure are noted, and tables and charts are given for the rapid computation of the results. The method can be used to a~n accuracy of from one part in 5o,ooo to one in ioo,ooo. Factors that may be omitted in the application of this method where less accuracy is required are pointed out. For determinations to an accuracy of from one part in 500 to one'in IOOO the method of pouring water from a standard to the measure under test is used, and precautions to be observed in the manipulation are given. For the test of rougher measures, particularly of dry measures which will not hold water, tests are made with seeds as a medium. Results are given of a series of experiments made to determine which kinds of seeds are the best for this purpose. F o r the smaller measures the small * A paper read at the E i g h t h A n n u a l Conference on Weights Measures, held at the Bureau of Standards, May I4-I7, 1913.
and