Device for extracting short-circuiting wedges when switching in an electrolysis cell for the production of aluminium

Extractor device (30) intended to extract a short-circuiting block (20) that has been inserted between two conductors (24 and 25) to take an electrolysis cell (2) offline. The extractor device (30) comprises a gripper means (31) for gripping said block and at least one actuator (32) oriented vertically and comprising a body (320) and a piston with a piston rod (321), a) said body (or said rod) being secured to at least one horizontal bearing face (335) directed downwards and arranged in such a way that when said extractor device is positioned above said block in order to extract it, the upper horizontal face (240, 250) of each conductor (24, 25) lies in line with a horizontal bearing face (335), b) said rod (or said body) being connected to said block gripping means (31) in such a way that when said actuator (32) is actuated to make it extract said block, said actuator applies, to said conductors and to said block, opposing forces that have a tendency to part them.