Patent ID: 8798113

Claim:
A support arm for a water-cooled, current-conducting electrode comprising: a plurality of wall elements, wherein each wall element in the plurality of wall elements comprises a flat conductive metal having a length, a width; and a thickness; said plurality of wall elements comprising: two wider side walls of the support arm, each wider side wall formed with a plurality of milled-in recesses; and two narrower lower and upper walls of the support arm, each narrower lower and upper wall having a milled-in recess; a cover for each said wall element, said cover extending over the milled-in recess to define a closed cooling channel within the wall element when said cover is welded to the wall element; and each said cover configured with an inlet port and an outlet port for cooling water; wherein the plurality of wall elements are made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy; and wherein each milled-in recess is configured with depressions formed into a boundary region surrounding the milled-in recess; and wherein each cover when positioned within said milled-in recess can be welded to the wall element in said boundary region such that the cover is flush with outside surface of the electrode support arm.