Armington & Sims Engine Company facts for kids

An Armington & Sims double-disk engine, a powerful machine from the past.

The Armington & Sims Engine Company was a famous company that made steam engines. It was located in Providence, Rhode Island, in the United States. Two clever people, Pardon Armington and Gardner C. Sims, started the company in 1881. Their factory was in Providence, at the corner of High Street and Knight Street.

What Were Armington & Sims Engines?

Armington & Sims made special high-speed stationary steam engines. These engines were different because they were smaller, simpler, and cost less money than other engines at the time.

Types of Engines They Made

• They made a "single-disk" engine that could produce a lot of power, from 70 to 700 horsepower.
• They also made a "double-disk" engine, which was smaller, producing 10 to 150 horsepower.

Who Used Their Engines?

By 1886, a very important company called the Edison Illuminating Company bought about 300 Armington & Sims engines. Some of these engines were used at the famous Pearl Street Station in New York City, which was one of the first electric power plants!

Awards and Recognition

The company's engine designs were so good that they won many awards in the 1880s.

• They won an award at the Cincinnati Exposition in 1883.
• They also won an award at the International Inventions Exposition in London in 1885.

How Armington & Sims Engines Stood Out

At the end of the 1800s, Armington & Sims engines were one of the top three types of high-speed steam engines used in factories and other places. The other two famous engines were the Corliss and Greene engines. All three of these important engine types were developed and made in Providence, Rhode Island.

Engines on the Adirondack Steamer

In 1896, a large side-wheel paddle steamer called the Adirondack used Armington & Sims engines. This ship sailed on the Hudson River.

• It had three Armington & Sims engines that powered its electric lights.
• These engines could light up 2,400 lights!
• They also powered a strong searchlight that could help people see objects up to two miles (about 3 kilometers) away.

Why the Company Closed

The Armington & Sims Engine Company closed down in 1896. This happened because of money problems, including issues with another company's finances. It might also have been affected by a big economic downturn called the Panic of 1893. After Armington & Sims closed, another company called Eastern Engine Company bought their factory and equipment, but it also went out of business a few years later in 1903.

A Lasting Legacy

Even though the company closed, its history lives on! In 1929, a special building called the Armington & Sims Machine Shop & Foundry was built at Greenfield Village. This is part of The Henry Ford museum complex in Dearborn, Michigan. It's a replica, or copy, of what a typical machine shop would have looked like around the year 1900. It helps people today understand how these important engines were made.