Ingot supplying apparatus and method

An ingot supplying apparatus for supplying a preheated magnesium ingot from a preheater to a melting and holding furnace, the apparatus comprising:

• an ingot supply opening provided to a furnace cover of the melting and holding furnace and with a shutter operable to open and close by an external signal;
• an intermediate handler having a receiving case configured substantially in a channel shape open at both ends thereof, and pivoted on the furnace cover to be movable between a substantially horizontal lying position with one end thereof coincident with a ingot exit of the preheater to allow for a preheated ingot to be forward therein in a lying position with a longitudinal axis thereof set substantially horizontal and a substantially vertical standing position with the other end thereof coincident with the ingot supply opening to bring a distal end of the preheated ingot forwarded therein into abutment with the shutter to make the preheated ingot stand thereon;
• and
• an ingot supplier having a pawl chuck configured to enter inside the receiving case from an open side of the receiving case in the substantially vertical standing position, to be pressed against a rear end part of the preheated ingot as accommodated, and attached to, for a vertically guiding by, a drive mechanism fixed at a base end thereof to the furnace cover, and adapted for the shutter to be opened and the pawl chuck to be lowered to supply the preheated ingot into the melting and holding furnace.