text: an electrolytic hall - heroult smelting cell for commercially producing aluminum from alumina is illustrated in fig1 of the drawings and is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 . the electrolytic cell or pot 10 is defined by an exterior steel shell 11 lined internally with insulation 12 . a cathode bar 13 is connected to the negative side of a source of electrical power ( not shown ) and lies beneath a carbon cathode 14 . a port ( not shown ) is provided through which molten aluminum a is periodically siphoned . molten alumina and cryolite form a conventional electrolyte or an electrolyte bath e within which is at least partially immersed one or more consumable carbon anodes or carbon blocks c with the carbon anode c having cylindrical blind end cavities ca , ca &# 39 ;. solidified alumina and cryolite s forms a crust . the steel shell 11 of the electrolytic cell 10 is covered by a conventional gas collection hood h . electricity is conducted to the carbon block c by a novel anode bar or anode support of the present invention which is generally designated by the reference numeral 20 and is specifically adapted for utilization during the production of molten alumina by the hall - heroult process . the anode bar 20 includes a bar or member 21 which originally is a straight length of highly electrically conductive material , such as copper , having a generally rectangular configuration , as is readily apparent from fig2 and 5 . originally , the rod 21 is approximately 98 inches in length and is of a polygonal configuration of approximately 3 &# 34 ;× 3 &# 34 ;. this copper rod is slit medially along its longitudinal axis from one end a distance of approximately 26 inches and is then bent to the generally inverted - shaped configuration illustrated best in fig1 and 5 of the drawings . the inverted - shaped rod is defined by a relatively long ( 72 inches ) base portion or connecting portion 22 having an opening 23 for connection to a conventional anode beam b ; bridging arms or bridging portions 24 , 24 joined by inner shoulders or radius portions 25 to the base portion 22 ; outer shoulders or radius portions 26 joined to the bridging arm portions 24 , and depending leg portions 27 which are in generally parallel relationship to each other and terminate in axial end faces or surfaces 28 . a pair of identical relatively hard metallic sleeves 30 , such as steel , which are also highly electrically conductive , are each defined by an outer cylindrical surface 31 ( fig5 ), an inner cylindrical surface 32 , a lower annular axial end face or surface 33 , a chamfer 34 between the surfaces 31 , 33 , an upper annular axial end or surface 35 and a notch 36 which opens axially through the upper annular end surface 35 and radially through the cylindrical surfaces 31 , 32 . the diameters of the surfaces 31 , 32 are 6 &# 34 ; and 3 &# 34 ;, respectively . therefore , each leg 27 can be freely telescopically inserted into each sleeve 30 , as is best illustrated in fig3 and when so inserted , each arm portion 24 is snugly accommodated in one of the slots 36 . suitable welds w1 ( fig3 and 4 ) are utilized to weld each steel sleeve 30 to its associated bridging arm portion 24 along the underside ( unnumbered ) and the side edges ( also unnumbered ) of the notch 36 to rigidly unify each leg 27 to its associated cylindrical sleeve or stub 30 . at this stage in the fabrication of the anode bar 20 the terminal end portion or axial end face 28 of each leg 27 projects beyond the lower annular axial end face 33 of each sleeve 30 , as is most readily apparent from fig3 and 4 of the drawings . a generally annular metallic ring 40 constructed from relatively hard electrically conductive material , such as steel , has a polygonal opening 41 corresponding in shape and size to the exterior polygonal configuration of each leg 27 . each polygonal opening 41 is defined by a generally polygonal surface 42 ( fig5 ) which matches the exterior polygonal surface ( unnumbered ) of each of the legs 27 and which merges with a chamfered polygonal surface 43 . the chamfered surface 43 terminates at a lower , generally annular , end face or axial surface 44 which is spaced from and is generally parallel to an upper annular end face or axial surface 45 ( fig3 ) between which is a cylindrical surface 46 having an exterior diameter matching the diameter of the exterior surface 31 of each sleeve 30 . a peripheral chamfer or chamfered surface 47 lies between the surfaces 45 , 46 and matches the chamfer 34 of each sleeve 30 . each ring 40 is slipped upon one of the legs 27 with each leg 27 being in intimate surface - to - surface contact with the polygonal surface 42 thereof , as is most apparent from fig3 . in this position the axial face 28 of each leg 27 is set back from the lowermost end face 44 of each ring 40 , as is best illustrated in fig3 . the end face 28 of each leg 27 and the chamfer 43 define a cavity or well 50 . the end of each leg 27 is welded to the annular ring 40 throughout the entire area of the cavity 50 by a weld w2 which essentially covers the entire end face 28 of each leg 27 and forms an intimate bond between the polygonal surface of each leg 27 and the polygonal surfaces 42 , 43 of its associated ring 40 , as is best illustrated in fig3 . a weld w3 is provided between the chamfered surfaces 34 , 45 to unite each ring 40 to each sleeve 30 . reinforcing means 60 in the form of a generally t - shaped member constructed from relatively strong electrically conductive material , such as steel , bridges the distance between each of the sleeves 30 , 30 ( fig2 ) along the underside of the arm portions 24 , 24 thereof . the reinforcing means or member 60 is defined by a generally horizontal portion or land 61 and a downwardly projecting vertical portion or rib 62 located substantially half the distance between ends ( unnumbered ) of the horizontal portion 61 , as is best illustrated in fig4 . an upper surface ( unnumbered ) of the horizontal portion 61 underlies and preferably abuts a lower surface ( unnumbered ) of the bridging arm or bridging arm portions 24 , 24 . welds w4 ( fig4 ) weld an upper side ( unnumbered ) of each horizontal portion 61 to each sleeve 31 and welds w5 weld a lower side ( unnumbered ) of each horizontal portion 61 to each sleeve 30 . a weld w6 along vertical sides and a lower edge ( unnumbered ) of the vertical portion 62 of each reinforcing member 60 welds the vertical portion 62 thereof to each of the sleeves 30 . the anode bar 20 can now be fused singularly , in pairs , or in groups , as shown in fig2 relative to an associated carbon block or carbon anode c by molding carbonaceous material thereto in the manner illustrated in fig1 . thereafter , the base portions or connecting portions 22 are secured by suitable fasteners , such as bolts and nuts ( not shown ) to one or more conventional anode beams b ( fig1 ) which are in turn connected to a positive source of electrical power with , of course , the cathode bar 13 being connected to a negative source of electrical power , as earlier described . during electrolysis in the electrolytic cell 10 , the carbon block ( s ) or anode ( s ) c is immersed in the electrolyte bath e which is kept molten by the heat generated from the passage of electrical current . under the influence of the electrical current , the molten aluminum a is deposited adjacent the carbon cathode 14 at the bottom of the electrolytic cell 10 from where it is siphoned periodically through a conventional port ( not shown ), as was heretofore described . oxygen is released at the carbon block c and at the anode bar 20 where it reacts with carbon forming co and co 2 , and though the latter is exhausted from beneath the hood h , the anodes c are continuously and progressively consumed and must be replaced regularly . consumption of the carbon blocks c is dramatically reduced by the present invention because of the construction of the anode bar 20 heretofore described , particularly because of the intimate engagement between each annular ring 40 and the associated end 28 of each leg 27 by virtue of ( a ) the matching polygonal configuration of the exterior surface of each leg 27 and the interior polygonal surface 42 of each ring 40 and ( b ) the intimate weld w2 ( fig3 ) which fills the cavity 50 , covers the end face 28 of each leg 27 , and intimately unites the chamfer surface 42 of each annular ring 40 to the end of each leg 27 . due to the latter construction , current which flows through each bridging arm portion 24 , 24 , each shoulder 26 and each leg 27 and each sleeve 30 and ring 40 will not disadvantageously arc , particularly across the gap between each leg 27 and the interior cylindrical surface 32 of each sleeve 30 , but will instead pass through each leg 27 , axially through each end face 28 and the associated weld w2 and through each annular ring 40 and the associated carbon block c . therefore , the current flow is extremely efficient absent undesired arcing and the cost of aluminum in pounds per cell day is dramatically reduced . moreover , as the carbon block c is consumed , so too are surface portions of the sleeves 30 , the rings 40 and the welds w2 , w3 associated therewith . however , before efficiency is noticeably decreased due to carbon block , sleeves / rings and or weld consumption , it should be particularly noted from fig3 that each anode leg 27 is protected by the hard steel of the sleeve 30 and ring 40 and the material of the welds w2 , w3 , and it is not until the latter components have deteriorated appreciably , that the softer copper of the legs 27 can be subject to deterioration . however , should any of the latter substantially occur , restoration is readily and inexpensively achieved by removing the anode bar 20 from the cell 10 , breaking the remaining carbon block c associated therewith , and burning / torching off whatever might remain of the ring 40 and / or the sleeve 30 . for example , in fig3 a dashed line has been added and is identified by the reference character d to designate outermost portions of the sleeve 30 , the annular ring 40 and the leg 27 which may be consumed during the smelting process . the metal to the left and right of the dashed lines associated with the sleeve 30 and beneath the ring 40 and the end of the leg 27 represents metal which has been consumed . obviously , the welds w2 and w3 are consumed and are thus nonexistent , and the remaining portion of the ring 40 ( above the dashed line d ) might well simply fall from the remaining end portion of the leg 27 . however , if such does not occur or if the welds w3 have not been consumed , these welds w3 can be burned off , and the remaining portions of the annular ring 40 can be removed . furthermore , the lower end portion of the sleeve 30 which has been consumed can also be burned away as might be an end of the remainder of the leg 27 . at this point , a new ring 40 is slipped upon the leg 27 and secured thereto by welds corresponding to the welds w2 , w3 . therefore , by constructing the sleeve 30 of a relatively long length ( 12 inches , for example ), the same can be restored as its lower end portion is consumed by merely cutting away progressively consumed bottom portions thereof and welding thereto new annular rings . an anode bar 20 thus restored when remolded to a carbon block c is just as efficient as when initially fabricated . accordingly , the anode bar 20 of the present invention is extremely efficient from the standpoint of ( a ) initial fabrication , ( b ) use , ( c ) restoration and ( d ) reuse . it should also be particularly noted that since the copper member 21 initially is slit or cut along its longitudinal axis to form the bridging arm portions 24 , 24 , the entirety of the member 21 is of a single one - piece homogeneous construction which facilitates current flow in as efficient a manner as possible . thus , arcing between the anode beam b and the cathode bar 13 along the flow path defined by the anode bar 20 is virtually totally eliminated rendering the electrolytic process extremely efficient . although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically illustrated and described herein , it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention , as defined the appended claims .