Device for removing break-off components from a sheet of material or equivalent

Apparatus for removing broken-out pieces, from a sheet of material which contains blanks and which rests on a female die in such a way that a broken-out portion extends over an opening in a breaking-out surface and is urged away through the opening under the pressure of at least one breaking-out tool, wherein associated with the breaking-out tool is a support means which is movable in a direction of movement of the breaking-out tool and which is rigidly connected in positively locking relationship to the breaking-out surface or female die in an edge region of the opening and which projects into the opening with a support surface which can be inclined with respect to a connection pairing and which in a rest position engages in substantially parallel relationship under the broken-out piece disposed in the sheet of material and which is adapted to be variable in its position upon the movement of the broken-out piece by the breaking-out tool, wherein the connection pairing for the support means comprises at least one undercut receiving groove on the one hand and a portion which can be fitted thereinto and which extends in the breaking-out direction (x) on the other hand, characterized in that a plurality of cross-sections of the receiving groove and a portion forming a first coupling rib or bar are of a dovetail-shaped configuration, wherein the support means appears in longitudinal section as an angle portion with at least one coupling rib which is formed out of one of a plurality of limbs for a receiving groove of the female die formed in a limb for a second coupling rib of the female die on the one hand and with a flexible limb forming the support surface on the other hand, wherein the flexible limb forming the support surface has an edge opening which is delimited on both sides by cantilever portions, and at least one inner opening at a spacing in relation to the edge opening.