Device for drying and preheating particulate feedstock

A device for drying and preheating particulate feedstock for glass melting installations, having a vertical shaft with a feed opening at an upper end, and at a lower end a removal device for the particulate feedstock, in which a plurality of gas guides are situated in tiers, the shaft being provided with at least one gas channel for the introduction of exhaust gases from the melt installation into the gas guides and a gas channel for conducting away exhaust gases from the gas guides, comprising:

• a) frame-shaped guide elements for the feedstock situated one over the other in tiers inside the shaft, and with lateral distances at all sides, a part of the gas guides being routed respectively through said elements,
• b) at least some of the guide elements being mounted so as to be movable transversely relative to the shaft, independently of one another,
• c) the guide elements being provided at their upper ends with converging oblique surfaces for the introduction of the feedstock, and being provided at their lower ends with converging oblique surfaces for the exit of the feedstock, and
• d) at least a part of one of the guide elements being connected to a vibrating drive.