Ingenious Measuring Devices at a Fuel Station
Page 17
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
THE NUMBER of petrol filling stations is rapidly increasing, and the latest, which is a private enterprise of United Service Petrol Stations, Ltd., is situated in Chiswick High Road, immediately in front of Gunnersbury Station, and is thus on the main great western arterial road into and out of London.
As its name implies, this company has been farmed primarily to erect these stations and so provide employment for ex-servicemen. The station is on an island site, shaped like a half-moon. It has two entrances, each 22 ft. wide, connected by a bitumen-covered concrete road.
A useful feature is the provision of lavatory accommodation, which is strictly reserved for private customers. Facilities for filling tyres are also given by the provision of air at a pressure of 150 lb. per sq. in. Both this and water are provided free.
There is a storage capacity for 8,000 gallons of petrol and 250 gallons of benzele. Practically all the standard brands are stocked, as well as the popular grades of lubricating oil.
The petrol storage and filling plant is that known as the Bywater Hydraulic system. It -is the invention and property of a British company, Bywater and Co., 84, Craven House, Kingsway, London, W.C. This system' which is becoming most popular both here and in other countries, comprises the usual underground tanks, the different grades of petrol being run into these from the supply tank wagons.
The Bywater system has already been i described in this journal, and it s unnecessary. for us to go into full details. We may mention, however, that the chief advantages are that there is no loss from evaporation, as the tanks are always full of liquid, either petrol or water, or both, and the pipes are arranged so that it is quite impossible for water to be delivered with the petrol.
The meters by which the water entering the 'tanks and the petrol flowing into the containers on the vehicles are measured are special features of the installation. They are of very accurate make and are designed by the makers to be correct within very fine limits. Those installed were manufactured to register 0.5 of a gallon in favour of the customer in each 100 gallons. They have been tested in actual work by the National Physical Laboratory and have been found, over a number of tests, to register on the average 0.4 of a gallon in favour of the customer for the quantity above mentioned.
The meters cannot be tampered with. They are automatic and may be set to deliver any quantity of petrol asked for from 1 to 14 gallons.
We publish an illustration of the internal mechanism of the meter on this page. The principle of its operation is quite simple, the rotating portion at the bottom carrying with it at each revolution a measured quantity of petrol.
The Bywater system of petrol storage has been adopted by the French, Belgian, Japanese, Dutch and Swiss Governments