Patent ID: 8758099

Claim:
A method for cutting at least one food strand into portions with precise weights, comprising the steps: feeding the food strand through a feed device in a feed direction relative to a machine frame towards a cutting device, wherein a longitudinal axis of the food strand extends parallel to the feed direction; continuously measuring a respective cross section of the food strand during feeding with a measuring device at different locations of the food strand along the longitudinal axis of the food strand while the food strand passes through the measuring device; continuously generating a marking on a surface of the food strand through a marking device of the measuring device that is fixated relative to a machine frame, wherein the marking is generated partially through a transition gap between two sequential conveyor belt elements, wherein the marking moves relative to the food strand in a direction of its longitudinal axis due to a feed movement of the food strand; continuously detecting the marking through three first detectors respectively fixated relative to the machine frame, wherein the detecting is performed partially through a transition gap between the two sequential conveyor belt elements from different viewing angles, wherein the first detectors are arranged on identical sides of the marking with respect to the feed direction; continuously detecting the marking through a fourth detector from another viewing angle with reference to the feed direction than the three first detectors, wherein the fourth detector is arranged on another side of the marking than the three first detectors with reference to the feed direction; continuously determining a size of a cross sectional surface of the food strand through a processing device of the measuring device from image data generated by the first detectors and the fourth detector; and controlling the cutting device or the feed device through a control device using data of the size of the cross sectional surface so that sequential portions with precise weights are cut off from a front end of the food strand.