Installation for producing molten metal in an electric furnace

An installation for producing metal by melting a charge of iron material, said installation comprising:

• (a) at least one electric furnace (2) constituted by a melting vessel (2') closed by a removable roof (23) and at least one electrode (24) connected to a current source (16) and penetrating vertically into said vessel through said roof (23);
• (b) means (12, 14) for supplying individual loads of scrap emptied in sequence into said furnace;
• (c) a preheating chamber (4) delimited by a side wall having an upper open end (41) and a lower open end (42), and containing a loading container (40) fitted with an opening bottom (45), said chamber being associated, at least in a preheating position (B') with moveable means (7, 8) for sealing said upper and lower open ends, and with movable means (47, 73) selectively connecting said chamber (4), on two levels offset in height, to one inlet duct (31) and one outlet duct (32) of a hot gas flow circulation circuit (35), said gas flow circulation circuit being used to preheat a charge contained in said loading container (40);
• (d) a device (5) for transporting said chamber (4) with said loading container (40) between said preheating position (B') and a loading position (C') directly above said melting vessel (2') where the charge is emptied out by opening said bottom (45);
• (e) wherein said side wall of said preheating chamber (4) comprises a lower portion forming a skirt (43) with said lower open end (42) forming a wide downwardly-directed opening, and said chamber (4) is combined, in said preheating position, with movable devices (54) for sealably engaging said lower end (42) with a stationary base (3) shaped to match said lower end (42), whereby said lower end (42) is sealed in said preheating position (B').