Abstract: A method of measuring out a furnace charge of a predried and preheated coal in a closed system in which the coal is fed from a bottom discharge of a storage bunker into a filling cart container which is disposed therebeneath comprises opening the bottom discharge of the storage bunker to permit the fall of the coal from the bunker into the container while blocking off a portion of the filling container space until the remaining space in the filling container is filled and coal no longer flows through the bottom discharge and a column of coal remains in the discharge above the filling cart. A shutoff member is then directed through the column of coal in the bunker discharge above the filling cart container, to cut the column above the upper edge of the filling cart container, and opening the blocked-off portion in the filling cart container space to absorb the coal within the filling cart container.