Closed remelting furnace having several horizontally movable furnace lower portions

Closed remelting furnace having a vertical furnace axis along which an electrode supporting rod for a consumable electrode can be moved, comprising:

• a furnace body which has a driving mechanism for an electrode supporting rod for a consumable electrode;
• a furnace upper portion including an electrode supporting rod for a consumable electrode;
• several furnace lower portions each of which includes an ingot mold which has an ingot mold axis and can individually, if desired, be aligned with the furnace axis by a lateral relative movement with respect to the furnace upper portion;
• said furnace upper portion including an upper limiting wall having a gas-tight sealed passage through which the electrode supporting rod passes;
• a device for generating a protective atmosphere and said furnace upper portion being connected therewith and in a melting position being concentrically aligned with the furnace axis and adapted to be gas-tight with one of the furnace lower portions;
• a separating groove for vertically subdividing the furnace upper portion into two partial segments, of which an upper partial segment including said upper limiting wall is configured to be short as compared to the total height of the furnace upper portion and is associated with the electrode supporting rod and of which a lower partial segment is movable out of the vicinity of the furnace axis.