Patent ID: 7421801

Claim:
A method for operating a freeze-driving apparatus which includes: a chamber in which are located stacked charring plates; the chamber having a loading aperture equipped with a closure through which aperture the charging plates located in the chamber are loaded with containers; equipment positioned in front of the loading aperture for loading the charging plates with containers, the equipment including: a conveyor belt, which serves to supply the containers, a transfer table movable between an operating position and an idle position, which transfer table in the operating position serves for bridging a gap between the conveyor belt and the charging plates, one or more edge sections being attached in an articulated fashion at a front side of the transfer table, a loading slider for pushing a plurality of the containers from the conveyor belt via the transfer table onto the charting plates; the method comprising: retaining the transfer table substantially in the operating position during loading of the charging plates, limiting mechanical/thermal contact of the transfer table with the charging plates to time intervals during a loading push in which the loading slider pushes the containers onto the charging plates by: lifting the one or more edge sections attached in articulated fashion at the free front side of the transfer table following a loading push; and lowering the one or more edge sections into contact with one of the charging plates prior to the next loading push.