Molten metal holding furnace baffle/heater system

Abstract

Disclosed is a molten metal holding furnace system and a baffle and/or heater for use therein. The baffle/heater includes, among other things, a heat conductive body, at least one heater apertures and at least one passageways from a first side of the baffle body to the second side of the baffle body. Heaters within the heater apertures are isolated within the baffle body from the molten metal.

I/we claim:  
     
         1 . A baffle for use in a molten metal holding furnace with an interior cavity for holding molten metal, the baffle comprising: 
 a heat conductive baffle body with a first end, a second end, a first side, a second side, a top side and a bottom side, the baffle body being configured to span substantially across an interior cavity of a molten metal holding furnace at an intermediate location in the holding furnace;    at least one heater aperture in the top side of the baffle body configured to receive at least one heater; such that the at least one heater is isolated from molten metal in the holding furnace; and    at least one passageway between the first side and the second side of the baffle body, said at least one passageway being positioned through the baffle body such that when the baffle body is positioned within the holding furnace, molten metal may flow from one side of the baffle body to another side of the baffle body.    
     
     
         2 . A baffle as recited in  claim 1 , and further wherein the at least one passageway is located below an intended level of the surface of molten metal in the holding furnace.  
     
     
         3 . A baffle as recited in  claim 1  and wherein the baffle body is comprised of graphite.  
     
     
         4 . A baffle as recited in  claim 1  and wherein the at least one apertures have a heater therein.  
     
     
         5 . A baffle as recited in  claim 1  and further wherein there are two spaced-apart passageways through the baffle body.  
     
     
         6 . A molten metal holding furnace comprised of: 
 an insulated shell having bottom and side walls for containing molten metal and an internal cavity;    a baffle comprised of: 
 a heat conductive baffle body with a first end, a second end, a first side, a second side, a top side and a bottom side, the baffle body being configured to span substantially across the interior cavity of the insulated shell at an intermediate location in the holding furnace;  
 at least one heater aperture in the top side of the baffle body configured to receive at least one heater; such that the at least one heater is isolated from molten metal in the holding furnace; and  
 at least one passageway between the first side and the second side of the baffle body, said at least one passageway being positioned through the baffle body such that when the baffle body is positioned within the holding furnace, molten metal may flow from one side of the baffle body to another side of the baffle body.  
   
     
     
         7 . A molten metal holding furnace as recited in  claim 6 , and further wherein the baffle body is graphite.  
     
     
         8 . A molten metal holding furnace as recited in  claim 6 , and further comprising at least one heater in at least one heater aperture in the baffle body.  
     
     
         9 . A molten metal holding furnace as recited in  claim 6 , and further comprising a lid over the top of the internal cavity of the insulated shell, the lid substantially sealing the internal cavity from the outside air.