Corliss, George Henry

George Henry Corliss, (born June 2, 1817, Easton, N.Y., U.S.—died Feb. 21, 1888, Providence, R.I.), American inventor and manufacturer of the Corliss steam engine. His many improvements to the steam engine included principally the Corliss valve, which had separate inlet and exhaust ports, and he introduced springs to speed the opening and closing of valves. His Corliss Engine Co. (founded 1856) supplied the 1,400-horsepower engine that drove all the machines at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition (1876).