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

Chapter 194
Li Yu rented another house next to the laboratory on Fifth Avenue as a training school, and hired three former electric light company employees at a high salary of $300 per month.

One of them even resigned from General Electric.There is no way, Li Yu has given too much.

Li Yu first taught them how to manufacture an electronic starter system according to the drawings.

These people already know electricity and can master it quickly.Then you can continue to teach the recruited Chinese.

For the rest of the time, Li Yu continued to intensively study the engine for the Wright Brothers. Although the status of the current engineers is not as high as that of later generations, they still know a lot.They used to mainly do electrical work, but they also knew a thing or two about mechanics, so they were able to assist Li Yu's engine development, greatly advancing the development process.

They also admire Li Yu's fame. Even though Li Yu is Chinese, his status as a foreign academician of the Royal Society and a member of the American Astronomical Society is indeed too dazzling.

Moreover, Li Yu didn't have the greedy personality of a capitalist, at least his salary was much higher.

In addition to engines and electronic ignition systems, sometimes small inventions can also play a big role.

On this day, people from several clothing companies came to the door.

To be exact, they found Sierra first and she brought them here.

The design of the expansion screw took about half a day. Li Yu found Sierra with a few drawings, "I will trouble you to go to the patent office again."

Moreover, according to different pricing, expansion screws with different degrees of sophistication can be designed, and some expansion screws can be pulled out from the wall again.

At this time, jeans are basically overalls, and workers who enter the factory like to wear them most.

Zou Zhou replied: "No, but I am very interested in these things, and I learned them all by myself."

——Fortunately, I learned so many things by hard work.

Sierra said: "Introduce, this is Mr. David Lee, and this is Mr. Weaver."

Li Yu smiled and said, "There will be in the future."

"If you can overcome the past reliability issues with zippers, I think it will become a trend in clothing in the future," says VF.

Li Yu decided to follow what Sierra said, because she understands the current American market better.

Sierra didn't know whether he should be surprised, "You came up with a new patent again?"

Under Huang Boyao's report, many Chinese came to New York's Chinatown, hoping to enter Li Yu's factory.

Zou Zhou was dressed very poorly and was not yet 20 years old.

Later, VF Corporation acquired Lee. In addition, the well-known The North Face, Vans, etc. are also VF's brands.

Li Yu can't help but feel itchy when he looks at the numbers in the account that he can still make so much money by engaging in patents.

Well, Lee and the founder of VF Corporation respectively.

Sierra was convinced, "I really don't know what education you received in China before, and you know too much."

David Lee said: "I'm afraid sir won't need jeans."

Situ Meitang then approached Li Yu and asked him to come and see the selected people in person.

The same goes for the production of foie gras later on. Every day in the farm, each goose is forcibly fed more than ten kilograms of feed into its stomach through a tube.So in fact, the tall foie gras that the big guys eat are all fatty livers that are six to ten times larger than ordinary foie gras after force-feeding...

David Lee said: "If it is produced reliably in large quantities, it will cost even less than buttons, I think, and at the same time have convenient features, which is exciting to think about."

Li Yu pointed to his answer sheet and asked Huang Boyao, "Bring him here first so I can have a look."

Apart from jeans, VF prefers zippers for their jackets. They have been developing convenient leather jackets and jackets. The buttons are too air-tight and really inappropriate. If zippers are used, they will be very popular.

Screws were invented more than 100 years ago. With the beginning of the industrial revolution, screws have been widely used.However, the invention of the expansion screw will take many years.

Like the zipper, the expansion screw is not a difficult design. Simply put, it can expand the pointed part of the screw hitting the wall, which is very stable.

Zou Zhou said: "I like these technological things, but I have never been able to find a place to learn and display them."

"I can't say it's a trend, I can only say that it will become a popular thing in the future." Li Yu said, after all, for him, zippers are too common.

He will not get involved in the follow-up production of some patents, but there is nothing wrong with launching patents to make some money.

Sierra hadn't heard the term before, "Duck?"

Li Yu said with a smile: "While in the United States, get some more out, otherwise running back and forth will waste more time."

Li Yu explained: "It's like making foie gras. The feed is stuffed into the mouths of geese so that they reduce their exercise and grow rapidly."

But the first pair of jeans was made by Levi's.

Edison will broadcast his movie "The Great Train Robbery" this year, which has dominated American screens for nearly a decade. The western cowboys in it wear jeans that resemble jeans.

"Okay," Sierra took the blueprint, "What is it this time?"

Huang Boyao was somewhat educated. He first selected some people with examination papers, and then finally selected about twenty people according to their level.

Moreover, Europeans and Americans have always had the habit of hanging things on the wall, so as long as the expansion screws are pushed out, they will be very popular.

Huang Boyao said: "He is currently working in a restaurant, and he learned about the recruitment by accident."

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Sierra thought for a while and said: "I didn't expect it to be very popular. If you don't want to authorize it at 1 US dollars. I estimate that there will be at least a dozen or more companies interested in the follow-up, which can greatly exceed the original estimate of 10 US dollars." Valuation."

"An improved screw structure." Li Yu picked up the drawing and explained the principle to her.

A few words stunned everyone.

"Yeah, let me in too, the whole family depends on me."

Today, the construction industry in the United States is very developed, similar to the period when we were engaged in infrastructure construction in later generations, and the demand for building materials is very prosperous.

Huang Boyao followed his teachings: "I remember."

David Lee took off his hat: "Respected Mr. Li Yu, a giant of science, we are here for your zipper improvement patent. According to Miss Sierra's declaration in the newspaper, it can be guaranteed that it will not loosen."

Li Yu said: "I also look forward to seeing your new jeans debut."

In addition to the promotion of jeans later, it was deliberately related to jeans, and the sales in the United States were very hot.

The first pair of zipper jeans was indeed produced by LEE.

Sierra had never been in a farm, so she took the blueprints and went to the patent office in doubt.

Of course, if you want, you can continue to improve many different usage scenarios, but at present, these can meet the needs of the construction industry.

David Lee and WF were also satisfied with the price, so it was settled.

"Anyway, it's our Chinese factory, so what's the point of recruiting more?"

In addition, there are quite a few who only have an American high school education level, so they can only fill out the form and wait for the time being.

Situ Meitang turned around and said to Huang Boyao: "From now on, do whatever you want, you have to learn to refuse."

VF is the earliest large-scale ready-to-wear company in the United States, more than 70 years earlier than Nike.

Li Yu originally wanted to sell the patent directly, but since two companies came here at once, there will be more in the future, so he first brought Sierra over to discuss.

But they really want to find a job, and they keep begging:
"Master, please do me a favor, I can continue to study."

Situ Meitang sighed: "The more you wander overseas, the more you have to be tough. If you can't do this, how can you stand still? Don't be kind to a woman."

Li Yu quickly designed three different structures, from simple to complex, and from low to high prices, basically covering most of the use scenarios of expansion screws.

VF said: "Mr. Li Yu, please make an offer. We all intend to purchase the patent right to use the zipper."

Huang Boyao was soft-hearted, he didn't know how to refuse, but Situ Meitang had to stand up in person:

"Sit inside and talk," Li Yu let them into the room, and then said, "That's right, you can conduct tests to ensure that there will be no problems."

In addition to zippers, Li Yu also encountered some small problems when decorating the laboratory. He found it difficult to install things on the wall because there was no key gizmo: expansion screws.

The requirements are quite strict, at least reaching the entry level of the current American General Technical College.

"Don't make any noise! ​​Do you think it's easy to set up a Chinese factory in the United States? Even if it's for charity, you have to make the factory run normally! Mr. Li Yu built the factory to do the best, and we can't delay him. Back legs! When his factory expands in the future, he will naturally recruit more people. So don't waste your time here, just go back and continue studying hard!"

Li Yu asked curiously, "Have you ever studied in an American school?"

At first, Li Yu also guessed that the garment companies and jeans companies would be the first to find him, because the jackets that most want to use the zipper must be outdoor scenes.

Li Yu jokingly said, "Cramming education."

As for the behavior of small companies stealing patents, don't care too much.

Li Yu read the questionnaire and was very interested in one of them, Zou Zhou. Not only did he answer all the questions, he even drew some circuit diagrams.

"How do you think it should be priced?" Li Yu asked.

Although they are all basic physics knowledge, they are already rare and valuable.Because the current middle school physics is not as routine as the later generations to teach electrical knowledge.

The patent protection period in the United States at this time is 17 years.Once the sales effect is good in the future and more companies join in, I am afraid that the patent can be sold for more than 20 US dollars.

Sure enough, if you want to find, you will definitely find talented Chinese.

Zou Zhou is a child from a very ordinary Chinese family. His name is chosen casually, that is, his parents' surnames are put together.

Except for him, everyone else basically has the level of Western learning, and the training is relatively simple and fast.

Li Yu said to them in a loud voice: "For the time being, everyone will conduct training in the school on Fifth Avenue, and I will provide board and lodging. I hope everyone can master the knowledge they have learned as soon as possible."

(End of this chapter)