Goose Three Kingdoms

Chapter 596 Improved Model
Outside Chang'an University is Zhang's Academy.

Zhang Song held a copper rod and looked at it carefully. In the whole Guanzhong area, he was the only one who had the financial and human resources to purchase materials and study and imitate the steam engine.

The principle is really too simple, but making it work is one thing, and being able to use it for power is another.

The first steam engine operated normally during the experiment, but it exploded after being connected to a simple rice pounding mechanism.

After observing for a while, Zhang Song placed the copper rod on the table and said to the Shu scholars who rolled up their sleeves or tied their cuffs tightly and dressed neatly, "You can't use copper. Although the copper shaft is good for grinding, it is soft."

Liu Chong from Guanghan took the copper rod and used the wooden gear structure on the table to make a simple model of the copper rod pushing back and forth to drive the gear to rotate: "If this is done, the copper shaft will not be subject to counterbalance, and will not bend or deform when moving vertically, and will fit tightly with the air chamber without leaking."

“This is not a long-term solution.”

Zhang Song pointed to the smooth cast iron rod beside him and said, "I also wanted to use the iron rod as the skeleton and cast copper liquid to make copper-clad iron. This way, it can have the strength of iron and the convenience of copper. But if this is the case, I will never catch up with the steam engine made by Da Sima."

Zhang Song looked at his like-minded fellow villagers and continued, "We have also seen what the Grand Marshal made. The crankshafts are mostly made of fine iron and steel, which can drive the chariot forward with strong pressure. We use copper as a trick, which can only facilitate the development of the shape of the steam engine, but has no benefit in terms of performance."

Another Guanghan scholar, Zhu Ming, spoke up: "So what you are worried about is the polishing of iron?"

"Uncle Xian still understands me."

Zhang Song went to see Liu Chong again and said: "I want to pay a visit to the Grand Marshal, maybe I can get some inspiration."

They had no choice but to steal technology. Even if they used copper-iron alloy to make a better steam engine, it would either have limited power and be difficult to use practically, or it would be a pile of materials, bloated and heavy, which would also be unsuitable for practical use.

If you want to make progress in imitating steam engines, you must surpass Da Sima's prototype.

Otherwise, it is difficult to gain respect if it is just imitation.

Seeing that no one else had any objections, Zhang Song did not waste any time. He packed up the books and drawings he had compiled during this period, and led a few guards straight to Lantian.

Liu Chong, Zhu Ming and others were officials under Liu Zhang, and Liu Chong served as the magistrate of Chengdu.

Because of this name, no one dared to employ or recommend Liu Chong after Shu was pacified.

When Zhang Song arrived, the temporary steam engine forging factory had already started primitive assembly line operations.

Under the wide and tall wooden shed, the Taoist soldiers were divided into groups to forge various parts, using the original steam engine as a template and standard.

The two most labor-intensive tasks are hot forging of the boiler cylinder and fine cutting which is the responsibility of Lu Bu and Dian Wei.

When Zhang Song arrived, Black Bear was also checking the improved model.

This is a smaller steam engine, assembled together and with two iron wheels, like a motorcycle.

In order to quickly manufacture the test, brass is used.

This time, white mana was not used for cleansing, and after the machine was running, there was an obvious harsh noise of wear and tear.

After the annealing stopped, Black Bear went forward to check... He was also afraid that the cylinder would suddenly explode.

There was a bit of copper filings stuck to my fingers, and ordinary animal fat wouldn't have that strong of a melting effect.

Therefore, the shallow surface crude oil in Shangjun needs to be exploited. He doesn’t understand gasoline distillation... but he understands distillation.

If all else fails, always have butter on hand. After solidifying, butter can be stored for a long time and can be used for daily maintenance.

Besides, as long as there is no obvious steam escape, this little internal wear is acceptable.

Feeling that he was ready to proceed to the next step, he ordered the soldiers to put the wooden wheels that had already been inlaid and nailed on the iron hub.

Then start pouring in hot water, close the water valve, and add red-hot coke diagonally into the fuel chamber in front.

There is no pressure gauge, let alone a pressure relief valve.

He automatically stepped back a dozen steps, and an armored Taoist soldier rode up, supporting himself with his feet to keep his balance.

As the air pressure rises, steam begins to gush out of the bleed valve.

The Taoist soldier turned the valve, closing the vent valve, and steam began to accumulate and increase in pressure.

The two crankshaft pistons at the foot pedals began to move back and forth, and each time they went back and forth, a cloud of steam would be sprayed out to wet the ground.

Black Bear took a few steps back and controlled the Taoist soldiers to step on the pedal to connect the power.

Suddenly, the two-wheeled steam car jerked forward, trembling and slowly moving the Taoist soldiers forward.

As for braking, the conditions are not met at present.

Seeing that he had successfully run fifty or sixty steps, the Taoist soldier, under the control of Black Bear, slowly turned the front of the car back. When he was twenty or thirty steps away, the Taoist soldier released the power pedal and stopped after less than three turns without using the foot brake.

"One thing leads to another, it's that simple."

Black Bear turned his head and spoke to Gao Jun, glancing at Zhang Song and others waiting in the distance, and said, "To use this thing on a car, many conditions need to be considered, and none of them can be missing. If it is placed on the ground or on a boat, it will be more convenient."

It would be a real waste to use his car-mounted steam engine to mint coins for Ma Liang or forge iron. He already had the idea of ​​building a giant steam engine, which could not be forged in one piece, but could be assembled by riveting.

As long as the material is thick enough, it is not a problem to build a steam engine larger than a locomotive as a power source for the factory.

Therefore, we must first make an experimental model for Ma Liang so that he can mint coins and forge armor plates. With this experience, we can build a giant steam engine for Hancheng. Many things that we had not dared to think of before can now be forged through this steam engine.

No matter how soft the wrought iron is, when it is two inches thick, it doesn't matter whether it is soft or hard.

The smelting technology is being restored. The difficulty is not in pig iron and wrought iron, but in combining pig iron and wrought iron to melt into steel.

Putting aside what he was doing, Black Bear walked out of the wooden shed and came to the pavilion a few dozen steps away.

Only here does it seem a little quieter.

Under the guidance of Fa Zheng, Zhang Song also came to the pavilion carrying a wooden tray, on which was a steam engine carved out of brass.

What limits the development of steam engines is never structure, but materials and durability.

Zhang Song sat down and bowed: "My friend and I have devoted ourselves to research and development and have been able to imitate several steam engines. At present, we are troubled by the problem that copper is soft and iron is brittle. I hope the Grand Marshal will allow me to purchase good iron."

Zhang Song was a salt and iron monopoly, and the only things he could buy were finished iron products.

Good iron is used in military affairs and will not be sold in the market.

He was not short of copper, as it came in the form of various daily utensils and antique cultural relics when he moved to Guanzhong. Now that he was short of copper, Zhang Song melted some of it.

Black Bear picked up the steam engine model from the wooden tray, and by feeling it and looking at the soldering process, he knew that it was an exquisite little toy that could be easily operated.

After playing with it for a while, he asked, "How much steel do you need?"

"Five thousand jin. I have sent a letter to Shuzhong. We can gather a lot of manpower and financial resources within this year."

Zhang Song turned his head and looked at the two-wheeled self-propelled vehicle parked at the edge of the wooden shed in the distance. "Compared to the documents and scriptures, I think the mystery of the great way lies in the machinery. I humbly ask the Grand Marshal to help me."

"I'll give you 10,000 catties, 8,000 catties of wrought iron, and 2,000 catties of steel."

Black Bear also glanced at the experimental model over there and continued, "My condition is that you cannot study behind closed doors. Go to Chang'an University and join forces with scholars from all over the world to study and improve it. Later, I will send this two-wheeled bicycle to Chang'an University for scholars and students to study."

"Yes, I will do my best to create a suitable device."

Zhang Song bowed and expressed regret that he could not go to the wooden shed to learn from the master. Black Bear immediately wrote a note to Zhang Song and sent an official document to Hancheng, who would then have someone to hand it over.

After sending Zhang Song away, Fa Zheng came back and saw Black Bear flipping through the blueprints under the pavilion. He held up some official documents he had just picked up and said, "Your Majesty, Zhuge Kongming has replied and agreed to let Chang Mingjun take the position."

"Well, the research institute cannot be taken lightly. You ask Zhuge Ziyu to select a few people to be responsible for the site selection and construction budget of the research institute. You select people to supervise the construction, and Lord Changming will appoint them to the rank of Qianshi, which is equivalent to Lieutenant Colonel."

"Here."

Fa Zheng agreed and handed the document to Hei Xiong. Hei Xiong flipped through it and quickly wrote down his opinions with a pen.

Since the circulation of paper, the emergence of gold tablets, and the fact that the shogunate's retainers were away from their families, friends, and servants, the administrative efficiency of the entire shogunate was very high.

Then Hei Xiong wrote another official document and handed it to Fa Zheng: "I will go to the Sijin Duwei's station in a few days. It will take about half a month. After I finish here, the shogunate will move back to Zhongxiang to avoid the summer heat."

"Yes, I will inform all the officials right away."

Fa Zheng responded calmly. He only has one wife and has never taken a concubine. He actually likes this quiet and closed office environment.

His son was also thrown to Dongxiang by Hei Xiong to raise horses. It was called raising horses, but he was actually receiving etiquette and enlightenment instruction together with the orphans in the army.

Things like etiquette should be learned from elementary school, and things like friendship should also be established early.

In another two years, they will be sent to the Qinghua Camp for closed training.

Seeing Fa Zheng leave, Black Bear picked up an early-ripened cucumber and took a bite, then stared at the steam bicycle at the edge of the wooden shed.

I feel like I need to build a few more and send them to Liu Qi, Liu Bei, Li Feng, Zhang Xiu, Ma Chao... and Yuan Tan, to increase their technological enlightenment and shake the Confucian scholars' concepts in all aspects.

Even if Cao Cao, Liu Fu, and Yuan Shang were willing to take the gold, Black Bear wouldn't mind the official smuggling a few over.

The heavier the steam engine, the more gold it must be exchanged for.

Faced with the pressure of life and death, Black Bear believes that they can burst out with creativity that is no less than that of Guanzhong.

The dead have no creativity, and the bureaucrats also lack the motivation in this regard. These guys would rather take the risk of falsifying and making false reports than do down-to-earth research. The enemy's enthusiasm is the most real.

Anyone else want it?
If money can’t buy it, then roll up your sleeves and forge iron!

Fortunately, now, with Kong Rong, the number one Confucian heretic, active, everyone has flexible movements and positioning.

Unlike after the Song Dynasty, if you want to turn back, you have to be prepared to separate your head from your butt.

(End of this chapter)