Method of and apparatus for the introduction of radiocative metallic wastes into a melting furnace

A radioactive metallic waste disposal apparatus comprising:

• a transport vessel containing therein radioactive metallic waste, said vessel having a transport vessel cover;
• a melting furnace having a mouth formed with a seating ring and provided with a horizontally shiftable slider sealing said mouth at said ring;
• a furnace charging container which has an opening and generally conforms in shape to said vessel;
• means for supporting said container to enable said container to swing from an upright position in which said opening can receive said transport vessel through 180.degree. about a horizontal axis into an inverted position in which said container opens into said mouth of said furnace;
• a laterally retractable container cover adapted to close said container upon the insertion of said transport vessel therein, said container cover being retractable when said container is positioned inverted over said mouth of said furnace to enable the discharge of said transport vessel and radioactive waste contained therein into said furnace;
• and
• means for retracting said container cover and said slider independently of one another to communicate the interior of said container with the interior of said furnace through said mouth.

A method of charging a furnace for the melting of radioactive metallic waste received in a metallic transport vessel having a transport-vessel cover and wherein the furnace is provided with a mouth closed by a horizontally shiftable slider, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) inserting said vessel into an upwardly open furnace charging container generally conforming in shape to said vessel and closing said container with a laterally retractable container cover;
• (b) inverting said container through substantially 180.degree. about a horizontal axis and disposing said container on said furnace whereby said container cover is disposed above said slider;
• and
• (c) laterally withdrawing said container cover and said slider to communicate said furnace with said container whereby said container forms a gate through which said vessel and said radioactive waste are discharged into said furnace for melting therein.