Hongwu Survival Guide

Chapter 258 Escapement
Finally, Zhu Yuan watched Liu Shang personally operate and polish a brass gear on the double pedal machine in the front yard. He held it in his hand and played with it. A group of people came to the backyard.

Jin Dahu first took Zhu Yuan to the three public houses in the east chamber.

Here are a few simple desks that fit Zhu Yuan's style. There are various bookshelves and bookcases on both sides. The large desk is covered with various books and artworks, and there are some semi-assembled mechanical structures.

Zhu Yuan took one and looked at it, while Jin Dahu introduced: "After your lord ordered, someone from the Ministry of Industry came to call the officials to fetch a lot of documents and blueprints, all of which were stored in the previous court's treasury. Uh... this one, ashamed , it was drawn by a subordinate official."

At the beginning, Kim San-ho was chosen as the steam engine because the other party could draw pictures. Looking at the blueprints in front of him, Jin Da-ho's standard is higher, and there are beautiful charcoal lower letters on the pictures.

He also knew in his heart that he said he was ashamed, but Jin Dahu deliberately put it in a conspicuous place, hoping that he could see it.

Zhu Yuan didn't mind the subordinate's careful thinking, but just pointed to the one in front of him: "This, should it be the escapement system?"

The escapement system is the core of mechanical clocks and watches. Zhu Yuan doesn't know much about it. However, in the era of the information explosion, he had heard of it. He thought about the "crystal engraved leak" at home every day, and gradually remembered it. .

To put it simply, the escapement system is to evenly distribute the force transmitted by the mainspring to every minute and every second, so as to realize the uniform progress of the clock.

As for the more concrete, Zhu Yuan can only recall the isochronism of a pendulum.

However, the 'crystal engraved leak' at home has no pendulum.

I don't know if it's inside, and Zhu Yuan didn't ask anyone to open it.

When he was young, like many children, Zhu Yuan liked to take things apart, but unfortunately, Zhu Yuan didn't have any genius in this area, and the things he took apart were never assembled.

I still remember one of the biggest pieces I 'repaired', the TV set at home.

Then the TV was replaced at home.

Comes with a punch.

After that, Zhu Yuan no longer has the confidence that I can disassemble and put things back on, and will not take things apart easily.

"Escapement... Play hard to get," Jin Dahu recited in the house, with an epiphany expression: "My lord, this structure didn't have a serious name in the past. My lord gave it an 'escapement'. Appropriate, if adults agree, this will be called escapement from now on."

I got a name again?
Thinking about it again, the word escapement probably evolved after the introduction of modern clocks and watches to China, and before that, there should have been no such word.

However, this structure, calculate the timeline...

Still from China.

After all, I haven't forgotten that Kim San-ho accidentally mentioned before that the engraving in front of me evolved from the 'Water Transport Hunxiang Terrace' built by Prime Minister Su Song in Song Dynasty.

That was two or three hundred years ago.

Following the Song Dynasty in the Yuan Dynasty and conquering the world, the Mongolian aristocrats moved westward, and they certainly did not only bring horses, but all kinds of good things should also be brought along.

so……

It's not just the "four great inventions" that are talked about every day, there are too many, too many.

Just thinking about it briefly, Zhu Yuan no longer cared about it, it was meaningless, and this time it must be different, good things, we will definitely keep them.

Seeing that Zhu Yuan was fascinated, Jin Dahu graciously moved the chair over, found another mechanical structure from the table, and carefully brought it forward: "My lord, this is the escapement."

After all, the drawing did not have a realistic image of the mechanical structure, Zhu Yuan looked over, Jin Dahu asked for instructions, stretched out his hand to wind up the mainspring, and the sound of clicking click sounded on the mechanical structure in front of him.

Looking carefully, the escapement system connected by a bunch of gears in front of him is probably similar to a seesaw. The grapples on both sides are constantly reciprocating up and down, grabbing a not-so-standard gear with oblique hooks.Moreover, the source of energy for the continuous reciprocation of the 'seesaw' is still the helical hook gear.

In addition to this, there is a small hanging ball under the seesaw. With the operation of the escapement system, the hanging ball keeps reciprocating.

Sure enough, I judged correctly.

Indeed, the principle of 'isochronism' is used.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yuan pointed to the pendulum in the escapement structure and asked Jin Dahu: "Well, do you know what the principle is?"

"To tell you the truth, my lord..." Jin Dahu said: "When I was young, I felt that adding this was considered as a counterweight, which would make the escapement more stable. Later... when I became an adult and started to make a living, my father said With me, this white ball is ready, and the time for it to go back and forth is fixed."

Zhu Yuan said: "That's true, your father is a smart man."

Jin Dahu smiled and said: "I dare not be an adult to praise, my father... I am afraid I also heard what my grandfather said. The lower officials don't know the truth, and neither do my father."

Zhu Yuan: "..."

Well, skip it.

"I don't know the reason, I just remember 'isochronism'," Zhu Yuan said, writing three words on a piece of paper in front of him with a charcoal pen, and then said: "Probably, this pendulum, The length of the arm is certain, and the weight... I don't know if it has anything to do with the weight. In short, under certain external conditions, no matter how much it swings, once back and forth, the time for swinging is constant. As long as it can be accurately By calculating this time and correlating it with the time of day, you can make a very accurate clock... Well, I was still thinking about this name, the engraved leak is not vivid, and people misunderstand it, thinking it is a traditional hourglass. In the future ...This... Let's call it engraving workshop, the name of the workshop, also change it, engraving workshop."

In the end, I still don't want to use 'clock' and the like, worrying about affecting sales.

Jin Dahu, as well as several people around, clearly heard the word 'clock' casually spoken by Zhu Yuan, and it turned into 'engraved watch' in a blink of an eye, not quite understanding why.

However, of course, what the adults say is what it is!
And so it was settled.

Zhu Yuan didn't finish, he pointed to the escapement system in front of him, as well as the drawings, found another blank sheet of paper, quickly wrote a few paragraphs with charcoal, and ordered: "These, you will transfer them to Jinling University later... um, The National University also sent a copy to their physics department, saying that I ordered them to study the "isochronism" principle of the pendulum and confirm what factors are related to the isochronism. This seems small, but in fact It is also a great truth, which is related to the root of everything in the world."

Now, Jin Dahu was a little reluctant.

When Zhu Yuan asked just now, Jin Dahu frankly revealed the biggest secret of the escapement system, but he knew that the great talent in front of him might already know it, and also wanted to show it in front of Zhu Yuan.

However, this is really not something that just anyone can know.

Zhu Yuan also noticed Jin Dahu's hesitation, and said with a smile: "In the past, there were some great truths and some small secrets. You can pass on the knowledge to your family and keep it quietly. From now on...it's different, you should also read it." I read the book "Economics", and I also customized a variety of knowledge for several universities. I just didn't think of this "isochronism" principle before, but I know it, and I don't know it. Keep it in your heart, even if you don't say it today, one day when I think about it, I will pass it on to the students at the university for research."

After hearing Zhu Yuan's words, Jin Dahu came to his senses, and quickly said: "My lord, this is the official who cherishes himself with his broom, and the official will send someone to send it."

Zhu Yuan was very satisfied with Jin Dahu's reaction, and continued: "The times will be different from now on. Children under the age of ten may know these truths in the future. You don't have to worry at all. I just saw it, whether it is carved or polished. , these crafts all need to be tempered. However, you also need to make progress, because in the process of entering the industrial age from the agricultural age, the status of craftsmen will be greatly improved, and the requirements for your knowledge will also increase. Jinling is currently being planned The industrial university is just for you. If you feel that you are too old to learn, then you should pay attention to the education of your children. In the future, the lowest-level craftsmen who can only do ordinary crafts, and the lowest-level craftsmen who know many fundamental principles Senior master craftsmen must be treated differently."

Now, not only Jin Dahu responded, but also the people around him.

Wei on the other side also hesitated to speak.

Because of the "Jinling University of Technology" in Zhu Yuan's words, it's just that, as a craftsman, some deep-rooted inferiority complex made Wei Ye not ask in front of Zhu Yuan.

Then the university, these craftsmen, can they really go to study?

However, if you think about it again, what's the point of lying to them with such a big man in front of you?
It must be true.

In any case, the University of Technology, it doesn't sound serious, how can the word 'work' be connected with the word 'university', since it is connected, then... I am afraid it is really connected.

Zhu Yuan didn't notice Wei Ye's expression, so he diverted a few words and returned to the topic of "engraved watches" just named before him: "Give me an approximate time, how long will it take for you to make the first batch of engraved watches, and how accurate are they?" ?”

"At present, there are a total of ten rebuilt," Jin Dahu said: "My lord, if it's just for assembly, I can give you one now, but...the engraving will not be accurate. After installation, it needs to be carefully adjusted. Come down, before the end of the month, the lower officials can guarantee that all ten engraved watches will be completed, and the accuracy... the daily difference will never exceed a quarter of an hour."

A quarter of an hour is 15 minutes.

If you tell someone hundreds of years later that the error of a certain watch does not exceed 15 minutes, others will think it is outrageous.

just now……

This is absolutely rare precision.

Zhu Yuan nodded, not dissatisfied, but asked: "Can it be more precise?"

"Yes," Jin Dahu said decisively, "I'm afraid...it will cost more and take longer, just like...my lord should have seen that crystal... engraved watch, and the daily difference will not exceed one breath. between."

Zhu Yuan subconsciously took a breath.

Ok.

Someone short of breath.

About four or five seconds.

If this is the case, it is already rare and accurate!

So he gestured in front of him: "Tell me casually, if you want to be more precise, what kind of situation is it?"

Jin Dahu pointed to several of the shafts: "My lord, here... this bearing is made of crystal... crystal is also a good thing, it's just... gemstones, or better."

Zhu Yuan recalled a little bit, this is right.

It seems to be... wearable.

However, Zhu Yuan thought: "Can you make some smaller ball bearings, you should have seen it?"

If it is a watch pocket watch or the like, it is unimaginable to add ball bearings.

in front of...

It is expected that the finished product will have the size of a main chassis. Although I have never heard of it before, maybe I can try ball bearings.Just one thing, ball bearings are definitely more wear-resistant than gemstone bearings, and the frictional resistance will be smaller, and perhaps, cheaper.

"I've seen it," Jin Dahu said, "I have also thought about it, and I think it might be better, but I haven't used it before."

"Try it, you must have the spirit of exploration," Zhu Yuan said with a smile: "In addition, as long as you need other gems, you can apply to the Ministry of Industry. If Shan Anren doesn't give it, you can come to me."

Jin Dahu nodded: "Your officer will remember."

After saying this, Zhu Yuan didn't continue to sit, got up and turned to others, and looked at the various books, drawings, and engraved watch parts around him, including a set of clockwork equipment that he was most interested in.

A thin steel sheet about one foot long and half an inch wide is cleverly installed in a box to provide power for the entire watch, and it only needs to be wound once in three days.

The thin steel sheets were made by Wei Ye himself.

Zhu Yuan didn't need to know much to know that there must be different kinds of spring steel.

The spring steel that can be used to make bows and crossbows, the spring steel that can be used to make sofas, and the spring steel that can be used to make watch springs are definitely different.

Obviously, the spring steel that makes the mainspring is the most high-end.

Leaving the small room here, Zhu Yuan saw the assembly and processing site of the main room in the inner courtyard again, and was very satisfied. When he was about to leave, he sat down next to the operating table in the main room again, and asked for a pen and paper: "About the engraved watch. Now there is only one pointer and the subdivision of the scale is not enough. After this batch is completed, I hope you will try to make engraved watches with two or even three hands, dividing the day into 24'hours', 1'hour 'Divided into 60 'minutes', 1 'minute' subdivided into 60 'seconds', how, what's the problem?"

"There are too many pointers, I'm afraid it will affect the accuracy," Jin Dahu said honestly: "But the officials will try their best."

"Then, there is one more," Zhu Yuan said, "the current engraved watch is too big, I hope you can try to make a small engraved watch that is small enough to hold in one hand and can be carried in your arms. Call it a 'pocket watch'."

Jin Sanhu accurately found the key: "Master, this...pocket watch, the mainspring is easy to solve, the problem is, the escapement?"

The current engraved watch uses the 'isochronism' effect of the pendulum.If you want to make a pocket watch, the current escapement may no longer be usable.

"This requires you to design a brand new escapement," Zhu Yuan said, "I can give you a suggestion, but it's not a suggestion... because I only thought of a term called 'hairspring escapement'. Thinking about it for myself, it is probably better to use spring steel to make some kind of filament that can bounce back repeatedly, no matter how many, it’s gone.”

Hairspring escapement is also thought of when thinking about engraving.

However, there is only so much that can come to mind.

After Zhu Yuan finished speaking, seeing Jin Dahu showing a pensive expression, he smiled and said, "Think about it slowly, and I'll go to the spring workshop next door to have a look."

　PS: 9000 words, the owed update is completed, and the next few days of the next month will be updated daily with 6000. I will sort out the outline by the way, and try to break out as much as possible next month

　　
　
(End of this chapter)