The invention shows an apparatus for recycling bituminous material bodies by melting, in particular for recycling bituminous composite material bodies comprising a composite material and a bituminous material, in particular roofing materials, in particular in the form of bituminous covering layers of roofing sheets, the apparatus including: a vessel having a vessel wall surrounding an interior space of the vessel extending along a vertical axis of the vessel for receiving the bituminous material bodies, a bottom plate and a compression plate extending transverse to the vertical axis wherein at least the compression plate has a number of through flow orifices adapted to allow a through flow of molten bituminous material, wherein the plates are movable along the vertical axis such that in a first operating state the compression plate is in a middle position for forming a melting space of larger size between the compression plate and the bottom plate for melting bituminous material in the melting space wherein the bottom plate is in a melting position, in a second operating state the compression plate is in a lower position for forming a compression space of minor size between the compression plate and the bottom plate for compressing solid residues and/or solid composite material in the compression space, and wherein molten bituminous material is retained in a storing space above the compression plate for storing and/or discharging bituminous material, wherein the bottom plate is in a compression position, wherein the compression plate is movable from the middle position to the lower position.