Abstract: An apparatus located at the top of a blast furnace for equalizing pressure exerted by top gas, generated during operation of the blast furnace, on the bottom surface of the large bell movably mounted in the top of the blast furnace, operable so as to remove pollutants from the top gas and direct the top gas with the pollutants removed therefrom into the large bell hopper at full furnace pressure to exert equalizing pressure on the top surface of the large bell to enable opening of the large bell for feeding charge therethrough into the blast furnace.