Briquetting machine

A briquetting machine, primarily intended for briquetting fibrous plant material, includes a pair of rotatable wheels 10, 11. Each wheel has die means 60, 61 towards its outer periphery and the die means define a circular row of pockets in which the material is received and compressed. During rotation of the wheels 10, 11 come together to define a nip between the wheels. To provide for a varying volume of feed of material the wheels are relatively movable to vary the size of the pockets. Furthermore the die means include male and female overlapping dies 60, 61. In the bases of the dies are located ejector members 50 which are urged outwards to eject compacted briquettes from the dies. To compress the material prior to entry into the dies there may be a precompression channel 74 which converges towards its outlet end, opposite converging walls of the channels being formed of compression members 75 which move towards one another and towards the outlet end.