Chip detangler

A chip detangler for a machine having a discharge trough for collecting fluid containing metal chips, an auger in the trough for advancing the fluid and chips downstream through an exit area for discharge, the detangler comprising:

• a shredder blade fixed with respect to the machine and positioned outside the auger, the shredder blade having surface discontinuities sized and positioned to snag driven chips passing through the exit area,
• a snagging bar fixed with respect to the machine and mounted at least in part inside the trough, at least a portion of the snagging bar having an irregular surface formed with a plurality of surface discontinuities sized and positioned to snag driven chips passing through the exit area, the force of the auger inducing tearing forces on nests of chips engaged with the snagging bar to tear the nests into smaller sizes for discharge from the exit area.

A chip detangler for a machining apparatus having a discharge trough for collecting fluid containing metal chips, an auger in the trough for advancing the fluid and chips downstream through an exit area for discharge, the detangler comprising:

• a snagging bar fixed with respect to the machine and mounted at least in part inside the discharge trough, the snagging bar having a tapered head pointed upstream to engage nests of metal chips traveling downstream, the tapered head having a series of annular grooves forming exposed annular edges to engage metal chips;
• and
• a shredder blade attached to the trough and having a plurality of teeth extending downwardly and inwardly towards the snagging bar to engage metal chips.