A smelting furnace system for smelting metals, especially steel scrap, with a lower furnace vessel, in the bottom of which a tap hole is provided, and with an upper furnace vessel, which can be closed by a cover, in which a central pipe is provided coaxially with respect to the main axis of the furnace, in which pipe at least one electrode is arranged, and on which pipe there is provided a component which encompasses the upper furnace vessel and can be connected to a gas offtake device. In this arrangement, a slit is provided in the wall of the central pipe in a longitudinal direction. A sleeve is fastened at the edge of the slit, allowing the central pipe to be fastened to the casing of the upper furnace vessel having a corresponding slit. Furthermore, a supporting arm, which is connected to a supporting pillar arranged outside the furnace, can be led through the hollow space of the sleeve into the central pipe, with at least one electrode fastened on the front face of this arm.

A method of and an apparatus for the production of steel utilizing a single vessel for the electric arc smelting of scrap, directly reduced iron or pig iron in solid form, and for the oxygen blowing of the resulting melt through an oxygen lance introduced via a tower-shaped part of the roof. Another part of the roof can pivot to allow charging of the furnace with solids and the tower can be provided with a funnel enabling a molten iron charge to be fed to the furnace.