PURPOSE: To accomplish uniform charging of coal into a coke over without being accompanied by a reduction in operating efficiency or a substantial increase in construction cost by a technique wherein a chute is put into a coal charge hole and the opening of the chute is controlled depending upon the level of charging coal.

CONSTITUTION: A charging car 1 is positioned so as to bring the charge duct in line with a charge hole 5 provided on the top of a coke oven, and chute 2 is inserted into the oven. Immediately after the start of charging, the chute opening θ is kept large so as to form a peak of coal at a position not directly below the charge hole. The chute opening is regulated in such a manner as to give the uniform level of charging coal at the end of charging. By this technique, the uniform level of charging coal can be achieved at the same time with the completion of charging. The adjustment of the chute opening may be performed by steps in the order opposite to the above; it can be appropriately determined considering the size of an oven, the particle size of coal, etc. Since the leveling is performed together with coal charging, there is no loss of the operating efficiency of the coke oven.