Apparatus for charging a rotary kiln with pneumatic tires

In apparatus for charging pneumatic tires up to a predetermined maximum diameter to a rotary kiln having an end inlet, comprising

• a lock chamber structure having a kiln end adapted to be connected to said end inlet and a receiving end opposite to said kiln end, said lock chamber structure comprising a kiln end gate and a receiving end gate at said kiln end and said receiving end, respectively, and
• gate-actuating means for opening said kiln end gate and said receiving end gate in alternation,
• the improvement residing in that
• said lock chamber structure has a runway which has a rear end disposed in the interior of said lock chamber structure adjacent to said receiving end and is downwardly inclined in the direction from said rear end to said kiln end when said kiln end gate is open and said receiving end gate is closed has a length which is at least twice said maximum diameter,
• said receiving end gate carries a tire holder which is arranged to be disposed in the interior of said lock chamber structure when said receiving end gate is closed,
• said tire holder comprises a gripping device for holding a tire at said rear end of said runway in a position for rolling on said runway,
• said gripping device comprises two gripping jaws, which are mounted to be movable in a direction which is parallel to said runway and transverse to the longitudinal direction of said runway, and
• tire holder actuating means are provided for moving said gripping jaws in mutually opposite directions into and out of engagement with the side walls of a tire disposed between said gripping jaws.