To prevent the application of the force more than the self-weight of an electrode rod and a holder when the electrode rod is brought into contact with a bottom face of a melting furnace, and to prevent the electrode rod from dropping even in some trouble in an electrode manipulator.

An engagement part 18 is mounted on a vertically moving arm 2 holding the electrode rod 1, and loaded on a projection 3e formed on a connection bar 3b of a chain 3a driven by a driving member 4. A reduction gear 4b of the driving member 4 is formed by a worm reduction gear of small lead angle. The projection 3d of the connection bar 3b is separated from the engagement part 18 when the chain 3a is downwardly driven, and the electrode rod 1 abuts on the bottom face of the melting furnace in this process, whereby only the weight of the electrode rod 1 and the vertically moving arm 2 act on the electrode rod 1.