the swung out furnace cover 3 of an electric arc furnace 2 in section in order to explain the method clearly the mechanisms and devices are shown only diagrammatically in all the figures furnace vessel 1 is closable by a furnace cover 3 which is displaceable vertically by means which are not shown and can be swung out horizontally about a vertical axis not indicated three electrodes 4 offset by 120 u00b0 relative to each other extend vertically through furnace cover 3 electrodes 4 are moved through supporting arms by an elevating and supporting mechanism not shown and they are detachably embraced by electrode clamps 5 with the furnace cover 3 in swung out position the electrode arms carrying the electrode clamps 5 are vertically displaceable for the sake of clarity the electrical connections to electrodes 4 through the electrode clamps which usually include a clamping ring and contact jaws are not shown either fig1 shows electrodes 4 as they look after some melting cycles and it is evident that due to the unequal consumption the electrode tips 6 6 39 6 34 are burned off differently in a lowering operation the electrodes which have unequal lengths as the result of the preceding consumption are moved downwardly so as to bring their tips to a level indicated by a line 7 fig2 and 3 illustrate diagrammatically the lowering of electrodes 4 by means of an elevating mechanism 8 with the furnace cover in a fully swung out position electrodes 4 are connected by hangers 9 provided on their upper end and suspension hooks to elevating mechanism 8 which is mounted in association with the position the.