Patent ID: 7439473

Claim:
A method for supporting vertically hanging electrical resistance elements for heating furnaces or ovens in industrial operations, wherein each resistance element includes current-conducting legs that extend upwardly and downwardly, said method comprising the steps of: providing a resistance element assembly including a plurality of vertically-extending resistance element legs; laterally spacing the resistance element legs from each other by a plurality of ceramic support discs that each include a plurality of through-penetrating holes through which respective resistance element legs extend, wherein upper parts of at least two resistance element legs merge with terminals that are connected to a source of electric current; vertically supporting the weight of the resistance element assembly by at least one uppermost ceramic support disc; positioning the at least one uppermost ceramic support disc laterally adjacent a layer of insulation at a furnace roof and above an underside of the insulation layer, whereby the at least one uppermost ceramic support disc is maintained at a lower temperature than a furnace interior temperature; and interconnecting legs of the resistance element at a location below the underside of the insulation layer with conductive connecting plates for reducing current flow through parts of the resistance element legs that are above the connecting plates.