Method for making pellet for charging furnaces

A method for forming a pellet for charging a melting furnace comprising the steps of:

• (1) inserting a quantity of metal pieces in a metal container having sides and an opening in at least one end such that said pieces engage and overlap one another within the container;
• (2) placing a closure member on the metal pieces in said container after said metal pieces have been inserted;
• (3) compressing and permanently deforming said container, metal pieces and closure member together while the sides of said container are unsupported such that said sides become folded, wrinkled and corrugated and engage and clamp portions of said metal pieces firmly and tightly therebetween and said closure member, metal pieces and compressed container are retained together whereby said pellet is a compressed, densely packed metal mass with said metal pieces securely retained therewithin and across the entire container by overlapping engagement with one another and with said folds, wrinkles and corrugations;
• said closure member being another container having sides and at least one open end;
• said compressing and permanently deforming step including compressing and permanently deforming said containers and metal pieces together such that said other container is also folded, wrinkled and corrugated and is at least partially embedded within said metal pieces and engages the first of the said containers.