Molten metal holding furnace and method of holding molten metal within the same

Abstract

A holding furnace apparatus for holding molten metal and a molten metal holding method using the same are provided. The holding furnace includes generally a furnace body defining therein a reservoir chamber in which molten metal is held, an inlet port through which an ingot is supplied, an outlet port through which the molten metal held in the reservoir chamber is drawn outside, and an upper furnace wall defining the reservoir chamber together with the furnace body. The upper furnace wall has an inclined wall surface which is, when the reservoir chamber is filled with the molten metal at a given level, exposed to the molten metal so as to direct impurities contained in the molten metal rising to the surface of the molten metal to the inlet port.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.