The present invention relates to a melting device comprising a loading shaft (13, 13a) and a tilting device (4) by means of which a furnace vessel (1) with a furnace vessel cover (10) can be tilted into different tilt positions around a tilt axis (5a), wherein the furnace vessel sealing region is formed as a convex, cylindrical mantel section shaped, surface, and the shaft sealing region of the loading shaft (13, 13a) is formed as a complementary concave, cylindrical mantel section shaped, sealing surface, such that sections of the sealing surfaces of the two sealing regions lie mutually opposite one another in the different tilt positions of the tilting device (4) such that the transition region between the loading shaft (13, 13a) and the furnace vessel (1) is at least substantially sealed in all tilt positions of the furnace vessel (1), and to a melting method, in which a bunker container (17, 17a) with charging material (39, 40, 41) is placed in front of the loading shaft (13, 13a) on the loading side, wherein over the further course of this method, the charging material (39, 40, 41) is preheated in the bunker container (17) by furnace gas, and after further transport of this charging material (39, 40, 41) from the bunker container (17, 17a) into the loading shaft (13), this charging material (39, 40, 41) is further preheated in the loading shaft (13) by furnace gas.

An apparatus to move and preheat metal material (M) to be fed to a container comprises a containing structure, having an internal compartment and provided with a support wall, a conveyor for the material (M), a fume transit section whose volume reduces as it is distanced from said container along the longitudinal development of said containing structure, and a collector for hot fumes (F) whose volume increases in a manner correlated to said reduction in the fume transit section. The collector is located below said conveyor inside the internal compartment essentially along the entire longitudinal development of said containing structure. Moreover, one or more through apertures are made in said support wall to put the conveyor and the collector into fluidic connection.

An apparatus to move and preheat metal material (M) to be fed to a container comprises a containing structure, having an internal compartment and provided with a support wall, a conveyor for the material (M), a fume transit section whose volume reduces as it is distanced from said container along the longitudinal development of said containing structure, and a collector for hot fumes (F) whose volume increases in a manner correlated to said reduction in the fume transit section. The collector is located below said conveyor inside the internal compartment essentially along the entire longitudinal development of said containing structure. Moreover, one or more through apertures are made in said support wall to put the conveyor and the collector into fluidic connection.