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400-ton Blast Furnace
The original Sloss Furnaces were created in 1882 and replaced in 1927 and 1929 by the furnaces you see today. Iron ore, limestone, coke, and hot air were
continuously fed into the Furnace which would reach temperatures of 3,800 degrees. As the materials moved down and hot air moved up the Furnace,
two products accumulated in the bottom, or hearth: molten iron and slag. The iron and slag were withdrawn, or tapped, through two holes called notches.
About every four hours the iron notch, located at the base of the furnace, was opened allowing the molten iron to flow out of the Furnace.
Until 1931, Sloss used the Floor-Casting Method of making pig iron bars. The floor of the shed (which is now dirt) once was compacted sand.
Men would dig the molds for the pig iron bars into the floor. The design consisted of one main trough, or "runner," going down the center of the floor.
Secondary troughs would extend from the main trough. Then the bars would extend from the secondary troughs. Workers thought the bars looked like piglets
and the secondary troughs looked like sows. This is how they came to be called ‘pig iron’.
All Photos Copyright by Paul M. Rome