Chip extraction system

1. A chip extraction system for the continuous disposal of chips, comprising:

a chip extraction tube ( 9 ) which opens out into a vacuum chamber ( 2 ) with a base on which chips ( 12 ) that are sucked in collect;

a chip discharging tube ( 17 ), which has an inlet ( 16 ) arranged on the base and an outlet ( 18 ) arranged outside the vacuum chamber ( 2 ), wherein an inner cross-sectional area of the chip discharging tube ( 17 ) increases between the inlet ( 16 ) and the outlet ( 18 );

at least one chip forcing device ( 14 , 19 ), which is arranged at the inlet ( 16 ) and forces the chips ( 12 ) that have collected on the base into the inlet ( 16 ); and

an extraction fan ( 6 ) arranged above the mouth of the chip extraction tube ( 9 ) and generates the vacuum in the vacuum chamber ( 2 ), the suction of this fan being such that the chips ( 12 ) which are sucked in fall to a base in the vacuum chamber ( 2 ).

2. The chip extraction system according to claim 1 , wherein a depression ( 13 ) is provided on the base, in which the chip forcing device ( 14 , 19 ) acts and on which the inlet ( 16 ) of the chip discharging tube ( 17 ) is arranged.

3. The chip extraction system according to claim 1 , wherein the chip discharging tube ( 17 ) is composed of tube sections each having a cross-sectional area and the cross-sectional areas increase in stages from the inlet ( 16 ) towards the outlet ( 18 ).

4. The chip extraction system according to claim 1 , wherein the chip forcing device has a pump cylinder ( 14 ) which acts horizontally in the depression ( 13 ) and forces the chips ( 12 ) collected in the depression ( 13 ) into the inlet ( 16 ).

5. The chip extraction system according to claim 1 , wherein the chip forcing device has a plugging cylinder ( 19 ) which is arranged diagonally above the depression ( 13 ) and forces the chips ( 12 ) into the depression ( 13 ).

6. The chip extraction system according to claim 1 , wherein a pump cylinder ( 14 ) has individual pump cylinders or tubes ( 14 a , 14 b ) which are inserted telescopically into one another and are separately controllable.

7. The chip extraction system according to claim 1 , wherein a plugging cylinder ( 19 ) and a pump cylinder ( 14 ) can be actuated successively.

8. A method for extracting chips ( 12 ), comprising the steps of:

generating a vacuum in a vacuum chamber ( 2 );

sucking the chips through a chip extraction tube ( 9 ) into the vacuum chamber ( 2 ), wherein the chips ( 12 ) sucked in fall to a base in the vacuum chamber ( 2 );

forcing the chips ( 12 ) which have fallen down by a chip forcing device ( 14 , 19 ) into an inlet ( 16 ) of a chip discharging tube ( 17 ) arranged on the base;

wherein an inner cross-sectional area of the chip discharging tube ( 17 ) increases between the inlet ( 16 ) and an outlet ( 18 ), and the chips ( 12 ) forced into the chip discharging tube ( 17 ) are forced out of the outlet ( 18 ) arranged outside the vacuum chamber ( 2 ); and

wherein the chips ( 12 ) collect in a depression ( 13 ) on the base and are packed by means of a plugging cylinder ( 19 ) into the depression ( 13 ) and then are packed by means of a pump cylinder ( 14 ) out of the depression ( 13 ) into the inlet ( 16 ).

9. The method for extracting chips according to claim 8 , wherein the chips ( 12 ) are compressed in the chip discharging tube ( 17 ) to such an extent that they close a free inner cross-sectional area of the chip discharging tube ( 17 ) to such an extent that the vacuum in the vacuum chamber is maintained.