It’s not that you’re not familiar with “gas stations” or gas pumps at petrol stations, they are big, have electronic screens, squeeze the “trigger” of the pump is a quick jump. But since when did this gas station and pump pole exist, how it used to be, probably not many people noticed. If you are curious, you can read the article below.
Fuel pump cylinders through the ages.
The pump used to distribute fuel first appeared in the late 80s of the 19th century in Indiana, USA. It was invented by American inventor – Sylvanus Freelove Bowser . On September 5, 1885, he sold the pump to the owner of a grocery store named Jake Gumper in Fort Wayne, Indiana to sell kerosene. Basically, Bowser’s pump post also had the functions of today’s modern gas pump including metering and refueling. Less than two decades later, the first dedicated refueling service station opened in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Bowser’s original pump design was modified to pump gasoline instead of kerosene.
Design drawing of fuel pump cylinder.
The function of the pump cylinder, as Bowser describes it, is to help “safely dispense kerosene as well as liquid fuels and flammable petroleum products”. It can hold 42 gallons of fuel, or 159 liters. The success demonstrated by the popularity of kerosene pumps at the Jake Gumper grocery chain made Bowser decide to establish SF Bowser & Company and patent his invention at the end of October. 1887 under the name “Measuring and measuring tanks for volatile liquids”. And with the growth of the auto industry just over a decade later, Bowser’s company achieved great success.
The first tattoo pump and the first petrol service station:
Pump cylinder design can measure and store gasoline by SF Bowser.
By 1905, SF Bowser’s self-measuring and storing pump cylinder design was known simply as “gas station” and this name is still used today. The original pump cylinder design was quite simple with a square metal barrel, a wooden chamber with a wooden piston pump and a lever handle.
Bowser’s Chief Sentry pump at a Ford dealership in 1915.
Since 1905, Bowser has added a nozzle so that fuel is transferred directly to the car’s gas tank. The pump cylinder design continues to be improved, such as the Model 102 Chief Sentry version with an additional protective cover, when needed, pull down to cover the anti-theft fuel pump.
Of course, Bowser’s company was not unique, the market began to appear competitors such as Wayne Pump and Tokheim Oil Tank & Pump and the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana became the “capital” specializing in the production of cars. the world’s petrol pump.
The first gas station that allows drivers to drive-in and have people fill up directly like the current model:
The first title for this type of gas station is still controversial, some people say it first in Seattle, Washington state in 1907, people in St. Louis in 1905, but most agree that when the Gulf Refining Company opened the Good Gulf Gasonline in Pittsburgh, they were considered the first true drive-in gas stations.
The first Good Gulf Gasonline gas station was located at the corner of Baum Avenue and St. Clair.
The first Good Gulf Gasonline gas station was located at the corner of Baum Avenue and St. Clair, downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, opened on December 1, 1913. Unlike the simple refueling stations that preceded it, an architect designed this gas station to resemble a temple. Pumping posts are located around, there is a way in and out for the car and in addition to refueling, it also provides services such as changing tires, guts, filling water, maintaining the crankcase. Gulf Refining’s historical record also makes it clear that Gulf drive-in gas stations are completely different from gas stations in Los Angeles, Dallas, St. Louis … Indeed, in 1905, a subsidiary of the Shell corporation also opened a gas station in St. Lous, Missouri, but the way to sell is very different from Gulf gas stations that staff have to fill each 5-gallon (~ 19-liter) can and then give it to the driver for them to fill the tank themselves.
Initially, Gulf’s gas station had 4 outside service staff and a manager.
Initially, Gulf’s gas station had 4 outside service staff and a manager. Not only providing gasoline service and ancillary services for cars, Gulf gas stations are also an ideal shelter for drivers in bad weather.
On the first day, this gas station sold 30 gallons of gas at the then price of 27 cents/gallon (1 US gallon = 3.78 liters). In the first 7 days since opening, this gas station pumped a total of 350 gallons of gas before the first Gulf gas station was built in Pittsburgh and countless other gas stations were opened later throughout the US most car riders go to convenience stores or even blacksmiths to get gas.”
Baum Avenue is famous as the “car” street because there are many car shops located along this road.
The placement of the first drive-in gas station on the corner of Baum Avenue and St. Clair is completely on purpose. In 1913 when it was opened, Baum Avenue was famous as the “car” street because there were many car shops along this road. So, “Gulf executives have realized there’s no better way to engage the public than by getting them to use these drive-in gas stations, allowing them to drop the car straight into the station and refuel the car.” the car they just bought right after picking it up from the store,” according to Gulf Refining’s historical record.
The first road map in the US with a landmark at the Gulf gas station where it was sold.
In addition to selling gas, Gulf gas stations also provide free water refills, tire pumps and sell the first road maps in the US with the Gulf gas station as the landmark where it was sold. Gulf Refining was also the first oil and gas company to issue this type of map, and until 1925 it was the only company to issue maps to drivers annually.
A gas station today.
Gulf Refining or Gulf Oil was founded in 1901 by members of the Mellon family. It is one of the “seven sister companies” in the world petrochemical industry. In 1979, Gulf Oil was the 9th largest oil and gas producer in the United States and in 1985 the group merged with Standard Oil of California and both changed their name to Chevron. Now Chevron is one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world and is currently ranked 13th on the Fortune 500 list.