Patent ID: 7133742

Claim:
A device for processing slaughter animals or parts thereof comprising: a. a transport system comprising: i. an endless track; ii. a chain of chain elements moveable along the track and comprising a plurality of carriers, each carrier for carrying at least one slaughter animal or part thereof, wherein at least some of the chain elements are identifiable chain elements having an identification mark and wherein at least some of the chain elements are unidentifiable chain elements not having an identification mark, wherein distributed along the chain are provided: a) a plurality of identifiable groups, each comprising at least one identifiable chain element; and b) a plurality of unidentifiable groups, each comprising at least one unidentifiable chain element, wherein each unidentifiable group is positioned along the chain between adjacent identifiable groups; and iii. drive means for moving the chain along the track in a direction of transport; b. a delivery station for delivering slaughter animals or parts thereof to the carriers; c. at least one station positioned along the track for performing actions relating to the slaughter animals or parts thereof; and d. location means for determining the position of the chain relative to the track, wherein the location means comprises: i. an identification sensor positioned along the track to detect each identifiable chain element which passes by the sensor; ii. a counting device to count the carriers which pass by the sensor following passage of an identifiable group; and iii. electronic memory means comprising a memory table having a memory field for each carrier, wherein the location means is adapted to record in the memory field of a particular carrier a variable representing the number of carriers, including the particular carrier, counted by the counting device since the location means last detected an identifiable group.