Abstract: An installation for charging a shaft furnace equipped with a distribution spout, several storage containers, a sluicing system and a valve cage is presented. The containers are arranged next to each other and are horizontally displaceable between a first position aligned on the vertical axis of the shaft furnace, where the material is unloaded; and a second position laterally separated from the vertical axis of the shaft furnace, where the containers are filled.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises a distribution spout and a hopper which has two containers mounted thereabove provided with sealing valves and a metering member. In order to simplify the weighing system, the hopper is independent of the mouth of the furnace and is located inside a sealed chamber. The hopper is suspended by a device which enables it to be coupled to the container which is being emptied and to be uncoupled from the container which is being filled.

Abstract: An apparatus is presented for the pneumatic injection of pulverulent materials into a pressurized vessel, comprising a storage silo, a distribution silo, a series of metering devices for extracting the pulverulent materials from the distribution silo, pneumatic conveying pipes connecting each of the metering devices to the vessel, and also a device for the automatic transfer of the pulverulent material from the storage silo (which is under substantially atmospheric pressure) to the distribution silo in which a pressure higher than that in vessel prevails. An important feature of the present invention is the presence of two intermediate silos each connected via automatic valves, upstream to the storage silo and, downstream, to the distribution silo; and by a pressurizing circuit connecting a source of inert gas under pressure through automatic valves to each of the intermediate silos.