Otto Engine, circa 1883
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Artifact Overview
Nikolaus Otto's engines -- originally using coal gas, not gasoline -- were the first internal combustion engines to challenge the supremacy of the steam engine. They were hugely successful, needing neither boiler (cheaper initial investment and greater safety) nor licensed operators (lower operating expenses); plus they offered greater readiness -- they could simply be started, there was no waiting period to raise steam.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Internal combustion engine
Date Made
circa 1883
Place of Creation
Creator Notes
Manufactured by Schleicher, Schumm & Co. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based on designs by Nikolaus Otto.
Location
at Henry Ford Museum in Made in America
Object ID
00.4.502
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Iron (Metal)
Steel (Alloy)
Brass (Alloy)
Dimensions
Horsepower: 1 hp (0.75 kW)
Diameter: 4.875 in (Bore)
Length: 9 in (Stroke)
Length: 39 in
Height: 57 in
Width: 84.996 in
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Related Content
SetAmerica's Industrial Revolution
- 24 Artifacts
Steam power initially spread in the United States via its adoption and adaptation in ships and boats. This early mill engine's layout and dimensions are firmly rooted in Mississippi riverboat practice, while its applied decorative detail and vibrant color scheme speak to the increasingly elevated status of steam technology as it found a firm footing in mills and factories.