The Tunnel-Head

The blast furnace, as the reader is probably aware, is allowed under ordinary circumstances to continue burning for several years, being constantly supplied above with the ore, fuel, and flux necessary for the process of smelting, which the melted iron is periodically withdrawn from below.

The upper portion of the furnace, termed the “tunnel-head”, is surrounded by a gallery where the operation of feeding is carried on through the openings shown in the plate. An iron curtain, known as the ‘charging plate’, hangs in front of each opening to protect the feeder from the intense heat.