A Man of Science and Engineering in Troubled Times Wandering in the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 187 Visit by the Invention King
Now Edison is studying his camera in his office on Fifth Avenue. After watching it for a while, he sits back at his desk and reads the script.

The electric light company business before Edison is gone. After all, the market dominance of alternating current is too strong, and the shortcoming of direct current transmission range is too small to be used in large-scale commercial applications. All major companies have given up the continued development of direct current.

After Morgan bought Edison's electric light company, he became more enthusiastic about the alternating current business.

At the beginning, Edison spent a lot of effort to compete, but it was the general trend, and he had no choice but to admit defeat.

So Edison turned to invest in iron ore, but he was unsuccessful, and even suffered a huge loss of 200 million US dollars.

The $200 million at this time is almost $5000-[-] million in later generations, so even Edison is considered a rich man, and the influence on him is still not small.

After that, Edison continued to invest in a cement plant. Thanks to his cement plant's high degree of mechanization and low production costs, profits increased.The cement plant made up for the previous huge deficit of 200 million US dollars within a few years.

At the same time, Edison felt that the film had also reached a new stage, so he decided to make a longer film, at least longer than 10 minutes.

After all, he still holds the patent of the film in his hand, which is a good invention that can make money.

It is said that Edison, as the person who invented the film, has a short story behind it.

Edison interrupted Porter's words: "Just do as I say, there are always difficulties, and the thousands of electric light experiments at the beginning are even more difficult than this."

There was a knock on the door, and Edison stood up, "The battery materials I ordered have arrived so soon?"

Whether it is now or 100 years later, the battery is the most critical indicator that determines the quality of an electric vehicle.

Unexpectedly, Porsche originally made electric vehicles.

Edison said: "Quite young."

Prince's film patents disappeared with his disappearance.

I don't know if this sentence reminded him of Tesla.

"And the motor," Edison asked again, seeing the electric starter of the electronic ignition system, "do you want to make an electric car?"

And what's more interesting is that after Porsche built an electric car, it found that it was very fast and easily passed 60km/h, but the problem of battery life was extremely difficult.

"Of course not from scratch," Edison said. "The previous part is just a foreshadowing. What we want to do is to set up a climax at the end."

Edison looked at the four-wheel drive system: "I'm working on the battery and I'm going to put it on the vehicle. According to the data in my laboratory, the cruising range is quite impressive. As long as the car can run farther, electric vehicles must have more prospects."

Of course, the battery uses direct current, which is Edison's old line.

Li Yu took the certificate, and even framed it in a box, which was quite ceremonial, "Mr. Lao Haier, let you come all the way."

Edison said: "This is an excellent idea. If it can be photographed, it will definitely sell well."

The outline of the movie's story is roughly that four robbers rob a train, then donate money and escape, and are later chased by the police.

——With the current anti-shake level of the camera, it is still necessary to shoot in motion, which makes the scalp tingle just thinking about it.

"The Astronomical Society?" said Edison. "Do you mean that?"

Bout said: "But we have already started shooting, and now the changes may delay the process."

Everything has disappeared in the long river of history.

"Boom boom boom!"

Edison shook his head: "It must be changed. If you want to cause a sensation, you must come up with enough drama. Now people are very sharp-sighted. If you invest so much money but can't get the return you deserve, it will be even worse in business. Big loss, so do it to the extreme."

If it is placed in later generations, this sentence may still be a bit flawed, because the electronic control system is also very important, but as far as it is concerned, the battery is indeed the most critical factor.

Just as the mystery of Prince's disappearance cannot be solved, the death of his eldest son has not been revealed.

"Edison? It's you! It's a great honor to meet you. I didn't expect to meet you here! My name is Haier, and I'm from the American Astronomical Society." Haier said.

Bout said: "Mr. was in the cement factory at the time. It's normal not to know."

Porter wondered: "I think it's not bad, but it's too difficult for photography to do so."

"No," Li Yu said, "What you see is already a finished product. I just supply parts to other car manufacturers, as if all they make are gasoline cars."

There are now fourteen or fifteen experts in physics, engineering, electricity, and mechanics in Edison's laboratory, and most of the inventions are actually made by them.

When I opened the door, there was a man in a suit and leather shoes, "Excuse me, is this Mr. Li Yu's laboratory?"

Edison shook his head: "Gasoline cars won't work, only electricity is the best solution."

Li Yu is also not good at arguing, because Tesla had quarreled with Edison many times because of these mathematical contents.

At least respect is necessary, Li Yu said with a smile: "It is even rarer to have such achievements as you."

In terms of time, his application was made only 3 days after Prince's first screening of the film.

"Li Yu?" Edison asked suspiciously, "Which Li Yu?"

Haier said: "I'm really sorry, Mr. Edison, I took the liberty to disturb you, and I will leave now."

Originally, a man named Prince had first filmed and screened a film, but just as he was about to exhibit it publicly, he mysteriously disappeared on a train.

Years after Prince disappeared, his widow and eldest son appeared as witnesses in one of Edison's lawsuits.They appeared in court, apparently against Edison, in order to prove that Edison's patents were not original.And they speculate that Edison may have an inexplicable relationship with Prince's disappearance.

"Thank you so much!" Hale said.

So Porter could only listen to Edison, and he replied: "I don't think the first half can be revised, otherwise we have to start all over again, the loss of manpower, material resources and time is too great, and it doesn't seem to meet the commercial value you mentioned. "

Edison is clearly on the trolley side at the moment.

But Edison obviously still recognizes his own model more. After all, at least his life is much more successful than Tesla.

"But, sir..."

Edison said: "Since you know the place, take us there."

He described his idea of ​​inventing a "machine for seeing with the eyes as much as the phonograph is heard with the ears", that is, recording and replaying moving objects, which he called a "moving film projector".

Li Yu said, "That's right, sir, you have good eyesight."

"Are these ... used in cars?" Edison asked.

Li Yu's laboratory was indeed not far from Edison Company, and the three of them soon arrived there.

"Yes," said Porter, "I seem to have seen it some time ago."

Now someone in Europe is indeed working on electric cars, and it is still a big celebrity-Ferdinand Porsche.

"Mr. Edison, you may not pay attention to the current cutting-edge physics, mathematics, and astronomy. Mr. Li Yu is now an unparalleled existence in these fields. This time we granted him the highest membership status, which can be used to borrow The major observatories in the United States, with such a high honor, must meet him face to face." Haier praised.

Li Yu said: "No matter what kind of energy is used, the transmission system is inseparable. If they make electric vehicles, they can also use my solution."

Fortunately, Bout also had high hopes for this movie, so he had to scratch his head and study how to shoot difficult shootouts.

The movie they are going to shoot is called "The Great Train Robbery". If there are box office statistics now, it will definitely be the first film in the United States to reach the top of the box office, and it has lasted for nearly ten years.

However, due to insufficient evidence, the lawsuit was lost.

Afterwards, Tesla even said in person: "Edison's method is very inefficient, and he often does things with half the effort. On the whole, I am a very unfortunate witness. If he knew some basic theories and calculation methods, You can save 90% of the effort. He ignores elementary education and mathematics knowledge, and completely trusts the inventor's intuition and American sense based on experience."

And Prince's eldest son is still trying to let the world know about his father's great invention.But in 1890, he was found dead in a wood.

Lacking enough scientific spirit, Edison and his team, who are in command of diligent practice, have a total of more than 1000 patents.

Today Edison is by any measure the most famous inventor in America.

In the end, he disappeared with his luggage. It can be seen that the murderer's purpose may indeed be to need his information, or it may be just to clear the obstacles to the patent application.

Li Yu opened the door. Haier had seen it before. He took off his hat and said respectfully, "Mr. Li Yu, I finally found you. On behalf of the American Astronomical Society, I present you with the status of a full member."

"It's him," Edison said. "You're looking for the wrong place. This is not the place. Although I took down the billboard, you don't even know that this is the Edison Company, do you?"

Some linked his disappearance to Edison, his biggest rival at the time.Prince took all the information about the camera and took the train to the United States to apply for a patent again.

"In any case, I have developed a new type of alkaline storage battery, which uses sodium hydroxide solution to replace the sulfuric acid in the previous lead-acid battery. The safety and energy storage are much better." Edison said proudly, "I heard that the Germans I have already made an electric car that is much faster than a gasoline car, but the lead-acid battery used is too heavy. If I replace it with my alkaline battery, it will definitely have a better effect.”

"It still looks decent," Edison said, looking at the building.

However, Tesla, a theoretical inventor with scientific and theoretical literacy who was kicked out of the team, possessed more than 700 patents, and in an instant, he divided the two schools of hard work, hard work, and scientific theory into two schools. .

"Wait a minute," said Porter in the room, "Li Yu you mentioned, the laboratory seems to be 500 meters to the north of the door, and there is a three-story building."

"I hate to hear about mathematical models," Edison said, "everything has to be verified by real experiments."

Edison continued: "We're going to have a great prairie shootout at the end, which is what we call a 'Western'."

Edison thought for a while, "I also went to have a look, and there is another laboratory beside me, even I don't know."

"It's the Li Yu who discovered Pluto and other galaxies in the newspaper." The person outside the door said.

Li Yu also knows the current level of batteries, which is a high threshold for human technology. The follow-up research and development direction is almost always towards materials, looking for suitable battery materials, anode materials, cathode materials, and energy storage units.As for improving the battery structure, that is a matter of later.

So he thought so.

Anyway, as far as the current technical level is concerned, dry batteries are not popular, and the battery pack is extremely heavy.

"It's all right," Haier said, "The president said, you must come to Washington in person after a while, we will hold a seminar for you, and most of the astronomers in the United States will come to listen. "

Edison really couldn't understand advanced mathematics and science, but at least he read the report in the newspaper, "So that's the case," and then he said to himself, "It's a pity that he doesn't know how to invent, otherwise he would call my laboratory, Must be a good player."

Haier quickly introduced to Li Yu: "This is Mr. Edison, haven't you met?"

Haier said: "Yes, we are going to award the membership to Li Yu, but he has not been in Washington recently, and it took a lot of effort to find him."

In short, since Edison lost the battle of direct current, his main energy has shifted. On the one hand, he opened a cement factory to make money and made movies; on the other hand, as an "inventor", he is currently working on batteries.

Porter's identity at this time is equivalent to the director of later generations, while Edison is the producer.

Yes, the founder of Porsche.

Edison added: "I've heard about you, it's rare to have such great achievements in theoretical research."

Because as early as October 1888, 10, Edison also filed an application with the US Patent Office.

Li Yu laughed and said, "Being respectful is worse than obeying orders."

Porter really felt very embarrassed, but the boss had spoken, what else could be done.

Bout volunteered and knocked on the door.

Edison was surprised: "Does he really have a laboratory on Fifth Avenue?"

Edwin Porter, who specialized in photography and projection at the Edison Laboratory, was also in the office.

Edison's "idea" is indeed very good, but how to realize this idea is obviously more important, otherwise it is empty talk.

Edison on the side said at this time: "Are you Li Yu?"

It is impossible for such a busy person to really calm down and be a pure inventor.

"As for it? Granting membership to a person requires you to come over in person." Edison said.

Edison walked into Li Yu's laboratory, and saw the machines and four-wheel drive system components, as well as the electronic ignition system.

The current war between Edison and Tesla has ended with the victory of alternating current, but the "gasoline war" in the automotive industry has not yet been decided.

Li Yu said in surprise, "So it's you! I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Li Yu said: "I'm afraid that charging and discharging is still not convenient enough, and it is not safe enough, and according to the mathematical model, the cruising range of electric vehicles will not be greatly improved simply because of the increase of the battery."

"I think this script still has a lot of room for change." Edison said.

So...then Porsche turned his head and came up with the world's first hybrid car in 1900...

He installed a gasoline generator in the car, and after outputting electricity, he drives the hub motor to make the vehicle run, and the excess electricity can even flow into the battery pack for storage.

It’s just that this car is still very heavy. The battery alone is as high as 1.8 tons, and the weight of the whole car is more than 4 tons. It looks like a small tank.

But even if it is so bulky, there is no outstanding advantage compared with fuel vehicles now, so the electric car group is not weak at all.

(End of this chapter)