Abstract: A charge channel opens into a primary melting chamber and comprises a substantially vertically extending first section and a second section which follows the first section and opens substantially tangentially into a cylindrically shaped bottom portion of the primary melting chamber. The charge channel is charged with melting stock by means of a funnel-shaped melting stock infeed. A jet of molten metal is fed into the first section by passage means comprising a pump and a conduit. The jet of molten metal is mixed in this first section with the melting stock which is infed into and passed through the first section in a free-falling movement. The melting stock is enclosed and entrained by the jet of molten metal which is tangentially injected into the melt-containing bottom portion of the primary melting chamber. A turbulent flow is thereby generated in the primary melting chamber and keeps the melting stock in motion during finish melting.