The invention relates to a method of preparing material for hot briquetting by pyrolytic decomposition of bituminous coal in mixture with thermally widely stable substances at a temperature of 450.degree. to 530.degree. C., and to a suitable apparatus for carrying out this method. In a travelling bed reactor, the briquetting material is exposed to the pyrolytic decomposition of the bituminous coal component, and is held in continuous mixing and kneading motion. For this purpose, the briquetting material is moved initially in a rotational mixing and kneading motion predominantly at levels parallel to the plane of the axes of rollers of the briquetting press, during which motion it migrates downwardly by gravity at an average speed of less than 3 centimeters per second, whereupon, at the end of this motion, it is uniformly distributed by a rotational motion over the entire width of the rollers.