Patent ID: 7286892

Claim:
A cutting device for cutting at least one rod of material in the tobacco industry into substantially cylindrical portions, the cutting device ( 3 ) comprising cutting means ( 5 ) for cutting the rod transversely along a given cutting plane ( 9 ); a carriage ( 10 ) for accompanying the rod and the portions through the cutting plane ( 9 ); and an operating unit ( 11 ) for moving the carriage ( 10 ) back and forth in a travelling direction (A) crosswise to the cutting plane ( 9 ); the carriage ( 10 ) comprises at least one channel ( 12 ) for supporting the rod and the portions at the cutting plane ( 9 ), and through which the rod and the portions are fed in use; and the cutting device ( 3 ) being characterized by comprising a control unit ( 20 ), in turn comprising at least one proximity sensor ( 21 , 22 ) for emitting at least one recording signal relative to the position of the carriage ( 10 ) with respect to at least one reference position, and a computer ( 23 ) which compares the recording signal with at least one reference data item to obtain at least one comparison data item and determine at least one fault of the operating unit ( 11 ) as a function of the comparison data item.