Corliss Steam Engine
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A Corliss Steam Engine is a steam engine fitted with Corliss valves, named after the American engineer George Henry Corliss. There are four valves for each cylinder, with steam and exhaust valves located at each end. Corliss engines were typically used as stationary engines to provide mechanical power to factories and mills and to turn dynamos to generate electricity. Most were quite large, standing several storeys tall, and developing several hundred horsepower, albeit at low speed, turning massive flywheels weighing several tons at about 100 revolutions per minute. Some of these engines weren't retired until the late 1990s.
[edit] Company history
The Corliss Steam Engine Company was originally known as Fairbanks, Clark & Co. in the 1830s. In 1843 it was renamed Fairbanks, Bancroft & Co. when Edward Bancroft joined the company. In 1846 it was renamed Bancroft, Nightingale & Co. when George H. Corliss joined the company, and in 1847 it was renamed Corliss, Nightingale and Co. In 1848 the company moved to the Charles Street Railroad Crossing in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1857 the company was renamed for the last time to Corliss Steam Engine Company. By 1864 Corliss bought out his partners and was the sole owner of the company. In 1900 the Corliss Steam Engine Company was purchased by the International Power Company. In 1905 it was purchased by the American and British Manufacturing Company. In 1925 the company merged into Franklin Machine Company. By then Franklin Machine Company was already owned the William A. Harris Steam Engine Company.
