Abstract: An apparatus for electrically heating conductive bulk materials by resistance Joule effect heating includes end and side walls defining an oven chamber having an inlet and an outlet. A plurality of pairs of generally planar electrode plates are angularly mounted with respect to the opposed end walls of the chamber and are electrically disconnected from one another. The electrode plates mounted to each end wall are disposed at the same angle and are arranged such that the upper edge of each electrode plate is at a different distance from the end wall than the lower edge of the plate, so that the planes of the plurality of electrode plates mounted to each end wall are substantially parallel and vertically displaced from each other. The electrical supply for each pair of electrodes plates is electrically isolated from that of each other pair. The amount of energy supplied to each pair of electrode plates is adjustable.

Abstract: Described is an apparatus for closing and continuously emptying the container of a processing machine by means of a closure cover (6-9) which is arranged in the bottom (1) of the container and which is driven so that it can be moved into and out of the emptying opening (2) in the bottom (1) of the container by way of a pivotal shaft (17) acting as a lifting means on a mounting means, for example a mounting arm (16), outside the container.