A method for the dry cooling of coke comprises transferring the coke from the coke oven to a special bucket which is moved over a charging hole of a cooling pit. The space between the bucket and the charging hole is closed off and sealed against the atmosphere and a shutter which closes the top of the charging hole is moved upwardly and then transversely off the charging hole to open it as an intermediate charging guide piece is moved in position between the hole and the bucket for the transfer of the coke therebetween. The space between the bucket and the charging hole is sealed by a frame of a sluicing device in which the shutter and the intermediate charging hole guidepiece is movable. The device advantageously runs on wheels which are located outside the frame which seals the space between the charging bucket and the charging pit. The frame of the sluicing device advantageously includes a sealing element which engages into a recess seal combined around the charging hole.
