Armington & Sims Engine Company facts for kids

An Armington & Sims double-disk engine

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

What They Made

The company created new and special high-speed stationary steam engines. These engines were designed to be smaller, simpler, and cost less money than other engines at the time.

Types of Engines

• They made a single-disk engine that could produce from 70 to 700 horsepower. Horsepower is a way to measure how powerful an engine is.
• They also made a double-disk engine. This one produced from 10 to 150 horsepower.

Powering Early Electricity

By 1886, a big company called the Edison Illuminating Company bought about 300 Armington & Sims engines. These engines helped power some of the first electric lights. Some were even used at the famous Pearl Street Station in New York City. This was one of the very first power plants in the world.

Awards and Recognition

The Armington & Sims Engine Company won many awards for their engine designs. They received honors throughout the 1880s.

• In 1883, they won an award at the Cincinnati Exposition.
• In 1885, they were recognized at the International Inventions Exposition in London.

Important Engines of Their Time

At the end of the 1800s, Armington & Sims made one of the three most important high-speed steam engines. These engines were used for "stationary service." This means they stayed in one place to power factories or other buildings. The other two famous engines were the Corliss and Greene engines. All three of these important engines were made and improved in Providence, Rhode Island.

Powering a Steamer

In 1896, a large boat called the Adirondack used Armington & Sims engines. The Adirondack was a Hudson River Steamer, which was a type of boat with side-wheel paddle steamers.

• It had an electric light system powered by three Armington & Sims engines.
• Together, these engines could power 2,400 lights.
• They also powered a strong searchlight. This light was so powerful it could show objects up to two miles (about 3 kilometers) away!

End of the Company

The Armington & Sims Engine Company closed down in 1896. This was due to financial problems. The factory and its equipment were later bought by another company, the Eastern Engine Company. However, the Eastern Engine Company also went out of business in 1903.

A Replica at The Henry Ford

In 1929, a special building was created at Greenfield Village. This is part of The Henry Ford museum complex in Dearborn, Michigan.

• It is called the Armington & Sims Machine Shop & Foundry.
• It is a copy of a typical "job shop" from around 1900. A job shop is a place where different kinds of metalworking and repairs are done.