During 1907 Reading Oil & Gas Engine Company was organized from the Losch Gas Engine Company of the same city. John S. Losch began his gas engine experiments during the late 1890s – his first patent of record was No. 650,789 issued on May 29, 1900. Filed in October, 1899, this was the first of several Losch engine patents issued during the next few years. When losch applied for his first patent, the records indicate his residence being at Schuykill Haven, Pennsylvania, with the move to Reading coming some time later. Photographs of the Reading oil engine are nearly as rare as the engine itself, but thsi illustation depicts a Reading engine operating a lighting dynamo. During the approximate period of 1907-1910, Reading engined were built in 5, 10, and 20 horsepower sizes – the 10 horsepower model weighed some 1,800 pounds. Reading claimed their engine to be more efficient than almost anything on the market and pointed to their design, asking prospective buyers to note “the fewness of valves and intricate parts.” Regardless of its fine qualities, production was quite limited.