A pumping
station for pumping a cooling and lubricating fluid containing particulate matter such as
machining chips has a compact structure with a relatively low total structural height, while still assuring that the chips are conveyed with the fluid to the pump suction inlet, without
settling-out or accumulating in the apparatus. The pumping
station (1) includes a collecting container (5) with at least one pump (6) arranged therein, a
chip breaker (7) and a supply conduit arrangement. The supply conduit arrangement includes a supply line (2) through which the cooling and lubricating fluid containing the
machining chips is received from a
machining tool or
transfer station. Furthermore, two
branch lines (3) and (4) are interposed and connected between the supply line (2) and the collecting container (5). A first
branch line (3) conveys the fluid, from which the chips have been removed, with a slight downward slope toward the collecting container (5). The second
branch line (4) conveys the chips that have been removed from the fluid flow. A scraper conveyor or the like conveys the chips upward through the second
branch line (4), and the outlet end of the
branch line (4) is arranged directly above the
chip breaker (7), which in turn is arranged above the outlet end of the fluid conveying
branch line (3). The comminuted chips thus fall from the breaker (7) directly into the flow of fluid, in which the chips are then entrained and carried along into the
sump (13) of the collecting container (5), where the chips and fluid are sucked and pumped away by the pump (6).