Abstract: An immersion heater capable of completely avoiding a situation where an outer circumferential border of a spiral heating element is pressed to an inner wall of a protecting tube, and preventing disconnection due to contact between adjacent portions of the heating element. In the immersion heater, one edge portion of a metal strip heating element (8) is inserted into, and held in a spiral groove (7) to form a spiral heating part (9). Cylindrical-body supporting members (11) are provided and each has a diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the ceramic bottom protecting tube (2) and larger than an outer diameter of the spiral heating part. The cylindrical-body supporting members are fitted into a hollow portion of the insulating cylindrical body (6) and are arranged in openings at a fore-end and a back-end of the insulating cylindrical body, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide an immersion heater capable of completely avoiding a situation where an outer circumference border of a spiral heating element is pressed to an inner wall of a protecting tube, and preventing disconnection due to contact between adjacent portions of the heating element. In the immersion heater of the invention, a metal heating element 8 is strip, and one edge portion of this strip heating element 8 is inserted into, and held in the spiral groove 7 to form a spiral heating part 9. Cylindrical-body supporting members 11 that each have a diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the ceramic bottom protecting tube 2 and larger than an outer diameter of the spiral heating part 9 and are fitted into a hollow portion of the insulating cylindrical body 6 are arranged in openings at a fore-end and a back-end of the insulating cylindrical body 6, respectively.

Abstract: Several embodiments of prime mover driven electrical generators wherein the power output is increased without increasing the driving speed by driving both of the generator elements in opposite directions.

Abstract: An inline degassing apparatus for removing solid solution gases as well as nonmetallic inclusions from molten metal in a degassing container, to which the molten metal is continuously introduced for degassing operation and from which the degassed molten metal is continuously removed. A rotary diffusing device is arranged in the degassing container for generating bubbles of inert gas diffused into the molten metal, thereby entrapping solid solution gases as well as nonmetallic inclusions into the bubbles, which are then floated and separated. Heaters are provided, which extend, in a cantilever fashion, from a side wall of container at a position adjacent the bottom wall of the container substantially parallel to the bottom wall.

Abstract: An inline degassing apparatus for removing solid solution gases as well as nonmetallic inclusions from molten metal in a degassing container, to which the molten metal is continuously introduced for degassing operation and from which the degassed molten metal is continuously removed. A rotary diffusing device is arranged in the degassing container for generating bubbles of inert gas diffused into the molten metal, thereby entrapping solid solution gases as well as nonmetallic inclusions into the bubbles, which are then floated and separated. Heaters are provided, which extend, in a cantilever fashion, from a side wall of container at a position adjacent the bottom wall of the container substantially parallel to the bottom wall.

Abstract: A molten metal vessel includes a first chamber for containing molten metal such as molten aluminum therein, a filtration chamber in which impurities contained in the molten metal are removed, and a second chamber for reserving clean molten metal to be supplied to a casting die. The molten metal flows from the first chamber to the second chamber through the filtration chamber. A pair of filters, preferably a pair of cylindrical filters, are disposed in the filtration chamber, so that the impurities contained in the molten metal can be filtered twice. The filters are attached to the bottom of the filtration chamber where molten metal oxides hardly develop, so that the filters are easily replaced with new ones for the maintenance purpose. A rod-shaped heater may be disposed in the cylindrical filters to keep the molten metal temperature in a strictly controlled range. Thus, the impurities are effectively removed from the molten metal through the filters which are easily replaceable.

Abstract: A holding furnace apparatus for holding molten metal and a molten metal holding method using the same are provided. The holding furnace includes generally a furnace body defining therein a reservoir chamber in which molten metal is held, an inlet port through which an ingot is supplied, an outlet port through which the molten metal held in the reservoir chamber is drawn outside, and an upper furnace wall defining the reservoir chamber together with the furnace body. The upper furnace wall has an inclined wall surface which is, when the reservoir chamber is filled with the molten metal at a given level, exposed to the molten metal so as to direct impurities contained in the molten metal rising to the surface of the molten metal to the inlet port.