an apparatus for the extraction of melt samples , particularly from continuously operating plastics processing plants , has a test sample mould which is connected to a melt channel via a transfer channel . there are provided a shutoff device and a device for transferring the melt into the mould . in the transfer channel there is arranged a suction piston which sucks the melt out of the melt channel into the transfer channel which in this case is opened simultaneously . in addition , there is provided a pressure piston for injecting this melt into the moulding chamber . an apparatus of particularly simple construction is created in this way and permits extraction of melt samples without the melt coming into contact with the atmosphere , no dead spaces at all being created at the same time in the melt channel during the time when no melt samples are extracted .