Abstract: A process and apparatus for feeding scrap tires into a reactor for the recovery of carbonaceous raw materials. The process comprises suspending the tires in a melt chamber having hot gases flowing therethrough at between 250.degree. F and 600.degree. F, allowing the hot gases to flow past the tires, melting the carbonaceous material therein, the melted material being fed into a reactor tube which converts the material to carbonaceous raw materials. The non-meltable portions of the scrap tires, such as metal beads or belted reinforcement, are separated in the melt chamber from the melted scrap tires.