Apparatus for regulating the depth of immersion of consumable electrodes in electroslag remelting furnaces

Claim 1

In an apparatus for the continuous and automatic regulation of the depth of immersion of a driven remelting electrode in the slag layer of an electroslag remelting furnace, comprising regulating means for maintaining the depth of immersion essentially constant at a predetermined value, the improvement comprising: first circuit means for detecting the actual resistance of the current-path through the slag layer and for producing a first signal corresponding to the reciprocal of the actual resistance corresponding to the conductance of the current path, and second circuit means for detecting the changing of the conductance upon the spatial displacement of the electrode within the slag layer and for producing a second signal defining a correction signal corresponding to the changing of the conductance and means receptive of the first signal corresponding to the reciprocal of the actual resistance from the said first circuit means and the second signal from the second circuit means for algebraically summing the two and responsive to the sum for controlling the driving of remelting electrode to effect immersion thereof to a depth, wherein the relationship between said first signal corresponding to the conductance and the immersion depth is essentially linear whereby a uniform regulation amplification results.