Melting furnace electrode handling devices

A system for melting batch materials, the system comprising:

• a vessel comprising at least one side wall and defining a melting chamber;
• an electrode disposed within the side wall, the electrode comprising a front face facing the melting chamber, a rear face opposite the front face, a length defined in a transverse direction from the rear face to the front face, a first side opposite a second side, a width defined in a lateral direction from the first side to the second side, a bottom face opposite a top face, a height defined in a vertical direction from the bottom face to the top face, wherein the vertical direction is perpendicular to the transverse direction, the vertical direction is perpendicular to the lateral direction, and the lateral direction perpendicular to the transverse direction;
• and
• a support assembly comprising:
• a first support unit comprising a top support block and a bottom plate, wherein the bottom face of the electrode is supported by a bearing surface of the top support block, and the first support unit is configured to permit selective lateral movement of the top support block relative to the bottom plate in the lateral direction to alter a lateral position of the electrode relative to the side wall,
• a second support unit comprising an upper body and a lower body, wherein the first support unit is supported by the upper body, wherein the second support unit is configured to permit selective vertical movement of the upper body relative to the lower body in the vertical direction to alter a vertical position of a portion of the electrode relative to the side wall.