On Thu, 21 Sep 2017 12:45:31 -0400,
olds...@tubes.com wrote:
>Back in the 60s, when I was a kid, I remember that most gas stations had
>a rubber hose (about the same size as an air compressor hose), that laid
>across the driveway, by the gas pumps.
>
>When a car pulled up to the pump, and drove over that hose, a bell would
>ring inside the station. This was back when the station attendant would
>come outside and fill your tank. Also when many stations were also auto
>repair shops. Thus, if the attendant was working on a car, he needed
>that bell to alert him that there was a customer.
>
>What I remember, is that those hoses were plugged on the end, (where it
>laid on the driveway). I also recall seeing that bell inside at least a
>few gas stations.
>
>What I dont know, is how it worked.
>
>I recently was in a small rural town, and saw an old gas station, which
>appeared to have been closed for years. In that lot, laid that old
>rubber hose. That brought back memories as well as leaving me with a
>question.... How did they work?
>
>I considered googling them, but I dont know what they were called, so I
>decided to post this question here. I'm assuming the bell was powered by
>electric, unless it ran off compressed air.
>
>I can only guess that driving over the hose in the lot would cause the
>air inside the hose to trigger some sort of switch, maybe by a some sort
>of sensitive diaphram.
required. It was no doubt mechanically clever.