Abstract: A vertical shaft furnace for and a method of efficiently melting aluminum and aluminum alloys substantially completely by convection is disclosed. The vertical shaft furnace has a generally cylindrical cross-section with a refractory liner and a cast refractory hearth having a concave, generally conical shape. A plurality of downwardly inclined burners are provided in the walls of the furnace arranged in such a way as to prevent the high velocity burner flame from blowing the aluminum material to be melted across the furnace and into burners on the opposite furnace wall.

Abstract: A method is provided for removal of surface oxide from a continuously cast copper bar preparatory to inline hot rolling, wherein solidified bar continuously advancing from a continuous caster is directed to a continuous hot rolling mill, comprising: passing said advancing bar, being at hot rolling temperature, through a spray zone of selected quench capacity and impulse, such that for each segment of said bar passing through said spray zone, said oxide is quenched to a black heat but is not ablated and said underlying bar is subjected to a shallow quench; said spray zone being situated in close proximity to but selectively spaced upcourse from the first rolls of said hot rolling mill such that there is insufficient time for substantial reheating of said quenched oxide during the approach to said first rolls; whereupon as quenched segments of the advancing bar progressively approach said first rolls and said underlying bar begins to deform just prior to roll contact, said oxide spalls off the bar surfaces subs