In 1848, Achille Lucien Archambault bought the machine shop of Joel Bates, operating it as A. L. Archambault. The Bates shop was located at No. 13 Drinker's Alley in Philadelphia, but within a couple of years Archambault moved to a shop on 15th Street, between Willow & Hamilton. Archambault also used the name Kensington Iron Works. He also operated the "Kensington Engine Company", a fire-fighting outfit that preceded the similarly named Philadelphia engine maker Kensington Engine Works by over 40 years.

Beginning in 1849 Archambault built one of the first portable steam engines, called the Forty-Niner, in 4, 10 and 30 horse-power sizes. Archambault also made lathes, planers, and lever presses, at least in his earlier years. The business survived until at least 1860.

From 1860 McElroy's Philadelphia City Directory

Information Sources

• The 1851-52 Thomson's Mercantile and Professional Directory, for the States of Delaware, Maryland, ... has a text ad for "A. L. Archambault, Machinist, No. 13 Drinker's Alley, Running from Front to Second, between Arch and Race, Philadelphia, (Successor to Joel Bates,) Manufactures Steam and Fire Engines, Steam Portable Hoisting Machines, Turning Lathes, Slide Rests, Planing Machines, Lever Presses, Stocks, Dies and Taps; also, Mill Gearing, Shafting and Machinery in general. Boring, Turning and Planing. Screws cut to any Pitch. N. B. Steam Boat and other Machinery repaired in a satisfactory manner, and on reasonable terms."
• Ads in 1855 and 1860 McElroy's Philadelphia City Directory.
• 1909-01-07 American Machinist.

  Achille L. Archambault, engineer and inventor, and founder of the Kensington Engine Company, of Philadelphia, died at his home in that city December 28, aged 87 years. Early in life Mr. Archambault displayed mechanical ability and brought out several inventions of much importance. In a small machine shop he built the first small portable engines, and their success formed the foundation of the Kensington Engine Company [Kensington Engine Co. was apparently a fire-fighting outfit rather than an engine manufacturer, and seems to be distinct from the Kensington Engine Works of Philadelphia, which post-dated it by nearly 50 years.] Mr. Archambault bears the distinction of having built the first steam yacht in American waters, and was the recipient of a medal from the Franklin Institute in honor of his inventions.

• The 2004 book by Andrew Dawson, Lives of the Philadelphia Engineers: Capital, Class and Revolution, 1830-1890, mentions in passing, "Achille Lucien Archambault, who bought the machine shop of Joel Bates on Drinker's Alley in 1848". Elsewhere in the book it mentions "Some small and medium builders, such as portable steam engine maker A. L. Archambault saved capital by dispensing with a foundry and instead bought in components."
• American Steam Engine Builders: 1800-1900 by Kenneth L. Cope, 2006 page 20.
• Encyclopedia of American Steam Traction Engines by Jack Norbeck, 1975 page 28.