Abstract: A high temperature melting furnace including a fibrous refractory cylindrical shell with a fibrous refractory top and a bottom composed of similar material. Heating is provided by molybdenum disilicide resistance wire loops hanging inside the shell. The furnace top has a removable closure plug for access to the furnace when in operation and the furnace bottom has a verticle charging hole with a removable pedestal insertable therein.

Abstract: An electric hot plate has a molybdenum disilicide resistance wire heating element spaced above a fibrous refractory pad by wire supports and spaced below a transparent glass plate forming a cooking surface. The pad has a smooth top surface, the wire is looped back and forth sinuously or possibly spirally coiled to form a layer which is parallel with the pad surface and the glass plate, and the wire is designed to operate at temperatures preferably of from about 2300.degree. to 2500.degree. F. or higher, at which temperatures the pad surface has been found to be effective for diffusely reflecting upwardly the wire heat radiation.

Abstract: A molybdenum disilicide electric resistance wire powered to heat to temperatures of from 2000.degree. to 2600.degree. F. has one or more supports directly contacting the resistance wire and made of an Fe-Cr-Al alloy having its surface covered by oxide preventing chemical reaction between the wire and the support.