Abstract: An apparatus for compacting coal in a pounding box to convert it into a cake usable in coke ovens has one or more punners which are each composed of an upright the lower end of which carries a pounding foot. At opposite sides of the respective upright are arranged a pair of engaging elements which are made to engage the upright and are then moved to an upper position, during which movement they take along the upright to raise the pounding foot above the coal in the pounding box. On reaching their upper position the engaging elements release the upright so that the punner can drop by gravity onto the coal in the box.