Patrick J. Shouvlin learned his trade working as an apprentice in a railroad maintenance shop in his hometown of Springfield, Ohio. After completing his apprenticeship he worked as a master mechanic for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad and eventually wound up on the west coast. When he learned of the oil boom that was underway, he decided to return to Ohio and go into business for himself.
Back in Springfield he opened his machine shop in 1889 mainly doing repair work for the equipment used in the nearby oil fields. It wasn’t long however, before he began working on a design for an improved oil field engine that would run on the abundant well head gas that was a by- product of the oil being extracted.
Engines used for pumping in the oil fields were subjected to unusually harsh operating conditions. Many of the brands competing for a share of this market just weren’t up to the challenge. PJ set out to build engines specifically for the oil fields, His engines would be simpler, sturdier and designed for long hours of continuous operation with little maintenance. They would be Superior engines.
In the early years the Superior Gas Engine Co. depended on nearby oil field operators for most of its revenue but in 1894 Shouvlin collaborated with several other firms to form the National Supply Co. that would be headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pa. National Supply would be the distributor for the member companies. As the market expanded Superior’s product line grew to meet new demands. By 1914 they offered horsepower options from 20 to 100 and hopper and tank cooled engines with 2 ½ to 15 hp. ratings as both stationary and portable models.
By the beginning of the twenties Superior was working on semi-diesel engine development. In 1923 they acquired the Otto Engine Works which gave Superior an intro to the full diesel market. 1926 saw the introduction of a Superior vertical diesel and a name change to Superior Engine Co. Diesel products would be a mainstay for Superior for years to come.
During the war years, Superior produced diesel engines for Liberty Ships and Landing Ship Transports. After the war, diesels continued to dominate Superior’s production, In 1950 they bought out Atlas-Imperial Diesel Engine Co. Five years later it was Superior’s
Turn to be acquired when White Motor Co. bought the Diesel Engine Division from National Supply.
During the 1960’s the Ohio oil fields enjoyed a brief comeback and Superior resumed production of gas engines to meet the demand that continued into the 70’s. During this period ownership changed again with Cooper Industries buying the White Superior Engine Division. Today , Cooper still provides parts and service on the later model Superior engines and compressors.
Sources:
The engine shown in these photos is a semi-permanent display at the Foothills Antique Power Association of NC Annual Show at the Hickory, NC. American Legion Fairgrounds.
www.gasenginemagazine.com A History of Superior Gas Engine Co. by Russell Farmer, June 1 2004
https://www.cooperservices.com
www.smokstak.com A Brief History of the Superior Gas Engine Co. by Mike Murphy, March 29, 2014
