Device for separating wires or bars - with a first guide slot through which the wires or bars to be separated are fed, - with a drive shaft, - which can be coupled to a controllable drive for rotating the drive shaft in a first direction of rotation and in a second direction of rotation, - with a first disc arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on the drive shaft, - wherein the first disc has a first shoulder in its outer surface, - wherein the first shoulder of the first disc is open in the direction of the first direction of rotation of the drive shaft, characterised in that - the device comprises a second disc that is rotatably arranged on the drive shaft, - wherein the second disc has a first shoulder in its outer surface, - wherein the first shoulder of the second disc is open in the direction of the second direction of rotation of the drive shaft, in that the device comprises a cam mechanism by means of which the second disc is coupled to the first disc, so that the second disc can be driven by the first disc when the drive shaft rotates, - in that the device comprises a stop that limits the rotation of the second disc when the drive shaft is rotated in the second direction of rotation, - wherein the first shoulder of the first disc and the first shoulder of the second disc form a cam notch which opens as a result of the rotation of the drive shaft in the second direction of rotation after the second disc strikes the stop and into which a first wire then slides from the first guide slot and which closes as soon as the second disc is released from the stop by the rotation of the drive shaft in the first direction of rotation, - wherein the cam mechanism has at least one spring which is tensioned at least by rotation of the drive shaft in the second direction of rotation after the second disc strikes the stop and which pushes or pulls the first shoulder of the second disc in the direction of the first shoulder of the first disc. - with a first guide slot through which the wires or bars to be separated are fed, - with a drive shaft, - which can be coupled to a controllable drive for rotating the drive shaft in a first direction of rotation and in a second direction of rotation, - with a first disc arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on the drive shaft, - wherein the first disc has a first shoulder in its outer surface, - wherein the first shoulder of the first disc is open in the direction of the first direction of rotation of the drive shaft, characterised in that - the device comprises a second disc that is rotatably arranged on the drive shaft, - wherein the second disc has a first shoulder in its outer surface, - wherein the first shoulder of the second disc is open in the direction of the second direction of rotation of the drive shaft, in that the device comprises a cam mechanism by means of which the second disc is coupled to the first disc, so that the second disc can be driven by the first disc when the drive shaft rotates, - in that the device comprises a stop that limits the rotation of the second disc when the drive shaft is rotated in the second direction of rotation, - wherein the first shoulder of the first disc and the first shoulder of the second disc form a cam notch which opens as a result of the rotation of the drive shaft in the second direction of rotation after the second disc strikes the stop and into which a first wire then slides from the first guide slot and which closes as soon as the second disc is released from the stop by the rotation of the drive shaft in the first direction of rotation, - wherein the cam mechanism has at least one spring which is tensioned at least by rotation of the drive shaft in the second direction of rotation after the second disc strikes the stop and which pushes or pulls the first shoulder of the second disc in the direction of the first shoulder of the first disc.