Refiner with means to protect the refining discs from premature wear

A fiber refiner comprising a first and a second opposed refining disc, said first and said second opposed refining discs being separated from one another and, at the periphery thereof, defining a refining zone having an entranceway and an exit, at least one of said first and second refining discs having an inlet and at least one of said first and second refining discs being rotatable about its axis to thereby cause material to move outwardly from said inlet to said entranceway of said refining zone and, interposed between said inlet and said entranceway, and into a means for receiving material deflected in a direction away from said entranceway by said guard means such that said deflected material is removed from the flow of the remaining material outwardly from said inlet to said entranceway of said refining zone so as to prevent said deflected material from entering said refining zone.