Computer Meter
Around 1934, the Wayne Pump Company invented the computer meter. The computer meter abandoned the traditional clock-face style and employed a more digital form. The gallon and price numbers were displayed directly on the meter face. By the late 1930s, all companies were using the computer meter. As well as technological changes, the 1930s offered stylistic changes to gas pump design. Art Deco and Streamline Moderne influenced the architecture of gas stations (and other roadside businesses) and gas pumps during the Depression years. Art Deco embraces the machine aesthetic. Repetitive, geometric motifs, such as zigzags, stepped forms, or pointed sunbursts, dominate this style. Streamline Moderne embraces the aesthetics of the automobile, featuring smooth curves and sleek lines. The gas pumps of the 1930s remained dominant through the WWII years, as the government limited their manufacture. The following images are representative of the many designs produced during this era.
The pumps below illustrate the Streamline Moderne aesthetic with rounded corners and distinct, sleek lines.
Computer Pumps: Image courtesy of Jack Sim, An Illustrated Guide to Gas Pumps, 2002.
The following sets of images are excellent examples of the Art Deco style. Note the geometric, stepped patterns, the vibrant, stainless steel trim, and the sunburst pattern on the left image of the last set. Although the edges and corners are still rounded, the overall form is more squared than the Streamline Moderne examples.
Computer Pumps: Image courtesy of Jack Sim.
Computer Pumps: Image courtesy of Jack Sim.
Computer Pumps: Image courtesy of Jack Sim.
