PURPOSE: To assure the sure and trouble-free operation of a screw pump for delivering a metal melt.

CONSTITUTION: The screw pump 1 consists of a tubular pump 3 which is mounted on, and suspended from, a mounting flange 2 and has a lower molten metal inlet 9 and an upper molten metal outlet 8 and a pump shaft 5 which is attached to an electric drive motor 4 loadable on the mounting flange 2 and extends into the tubular pump 3. The bottom end range of the tubular pump 3 is provided with a shaft guide device 13 for the purpose of the pump shaft 5 holding a feed screw 11 within the height range between the molten metal inlet 9 and the molten metal outlet 8. The pump shaft 5 has a universal joint 12 above the molten metal outlet 8 and the shaft guide device 13 forms a holding device for imparting oscillation movement or lateral movement play to the pump shaft 5.