Articulating hold down mechanism for a furnace

A method comprising:

• heating a furnace during a plurality of melting operations, wherein the furnace comprises a refractory lining positioned at least partially within the furnace and a hold down plate configured to hold the refractory lining relative to the furnace, wherein the hold-down plate comprises a gap defining a width;
• and
• permitting the width of the gap to vary in response to a thermal condition of the hold down plate during the melting operations,
• wherein permitting the width of the gap to vary comprises permitting articulation of at least a portion of the hold down plate, thereby inhibiting deformation of the hold down plate during the melting operations.

A method comprising:

• heating a furnace during a plurality of melting operations, wherein the furnace comprises a refractory lining positioned at least partially within the furnace and a hold down plate configured to hold the refractory lining relative to the furnace, wherein the hold-down plate comprises a gap defining a width;
• and
• permitting the width of the gap to vary in response to a thermal condition of the hold down plate during the melting operations,
• wherein the hold down plate comprises:
• a plurality of segments;
• and
• a pivot joint intermediate two adjacent segments.