The exciting hoisting and installation work began in the late afternoon. Each part of the steam engine tied with flexible slings was lifted in order using the highest wooden crane, and slowly and carefully lifted into the rear cabin. Then it was lifted by manpower , moved to the corresponding log base. The process went so slowly that it was already dark after the lifting was completed.

By this time, an unavoidable problem must finally be solved, that is, the sealing problem of the tail shaft. If this problem is not solved, the steam engine cannot be assembled. A hole must be drilled in the stern of the ship for the main shaft to extend to install the propeller. Otherwise, the steam engine is just a piece of scrap metal and the whole thing cannot continue.

In the evening, everyone gathered around the ground to eat. Fang Zian, Su Heng, Liu Laotou, Wan Dahai and others sat around the low table, drinking to relieve their fatigue while discussing a solution. Fang Zian also told his backup plan. attracted everyone.

"If we can't solve it, we will change the way of propulsion. We can avoid this watertight problem by installing rotating water wheel blades from both sides of the ship's side and changing the direction of the main shaft. However, this method requires the hull to be restructured again. Transformation, and the structure and output mode of the steam engine itself also need to be greatly modified. The parts need to be recast and modified. Moreover, due to the addition of impellers on both sides, the ship will be more bulky and may not be flexible enough to operate. The overall structure of the ship will also need to be modified. It's going to get loose. I don't know if that's going to work."

Fang Zian dipped his fingers in wine and drew on the table while speaking. Everyone understood what he meant. It has to be said that Fang Zian's method is feasible and cleverly avoids the problem of water tightness. Because the two sides are huge The main shaft of the impeller will be on the upper side of the ship's side, above the water surface, so there is no need to worry about water tightness. But as Fang Zian said, this is equivalent to completely changing the shape of the ship. Perhaps there is no big difference in calm water. But in rough seas, that may be a huge flaw for the ship.

"The method seems feasible, but I always feel it is unreliable. Judging from my many years of experience, this method may not work. This is a sea-going ship, not a sailing boat in the West Lake." Wan Dahai's words are actually negative. Got Fang Zian’s idea.

Fang Zian was not discouraged and said with a smile: "I just proposed a solution. If it doesn't work, let's think about it again."

After a few boring glasses of wine, Su Heng put forward his idea. In fact, he had been thinking about it, but he did not actively participate in the discussion. As a master of mechanical manufacturing, he would not easily come up with unreliable ideas. He has to think carefully before speaking.

"The problem now is that there must be a gap between the tail shaft and the hull to rotate. If it passes directly through the hull, there is no way to solve the sealing problem unless the main shaft does not rotate. I once built a boat that swims in the water. The gadget, I call it a water duck, actually uses a mechanical spring to drive the swing of the duck's legs. Because it is in the water, water enters it, and it is easy to rust, causing the mechanical spring to malfunction. My solution at the time was to seal it with grease wind As expected, no water entered the leaking area. So, I have been thinking about whether this method can be used. If the gap is sealed with grease, will it work?"

"Master Fang, I'm afraid this won't work. The main shaft will rotate, how can the grease be sealed? Besides, it is under the water surface, and the water pressure is so strong, wouldn't all the grease be squeezed out?" Mr. Liu raised his head and frowned.

"I know, hear me out. What I mean is, add a spindle sleeve between the spindle and the ship's plate

, filling the sleeve with a viscous grease can not only not hinder the rotation of the main shaft, but also prevent it from leaking out, so it can have a good sealing effect, right? And the seal between the main shaft sleeve and the hull

There is no need to worry about the property of the sleeve. It can be fixed tightly against the ship board, and some adhesives can be added to ensure that it will never leak. The key is that the grease poured into the sleeve must be thick enough and will not leak.

It is squeezed out from small gaps. It is like the glue produced by the gum trees in our south. It is impossible to let it leak out. Unfortunately, the gum juice of the gum trees will solidify and is not suitable for use.

"

"Yes, but where can you find such a thing? This is contradictory. It is difficult to not hinder the rotation of the main shaft and to seal the sea water. But this method is novel and may be really useful."

The old boss said.

"Butter!" Fang Zian slapped his thigh and shouted, "Or asphalt oil."

"Butter? Asphalt oil? What is that?" Everyone asked in surprise.

Fang Zian was speechless for a moment. He wasn't actually sure what it was, but according to his own feeling, it should be a direction. If butter or other heavy grease is poured into the sealing sleeve, supplemented by several layers of

Cowhide padding may solve this problem. Fang Zian is not sure whether it will be useful or not, but it is definitely worth a try.

"Do you know oil? It's the kind of black oil that comes out of the ground that can be burned. It's dark, sticky, and can burn. Put it in a pot to boil off the water, and you can get some extremely sticky oil.

Something strong. Maybe that kind of thing is what we need." Fang Zian said.

"Petroleum? Why don't you know? My grandfather's generation has known about this thing. Isn't that thing used to make ink? It burns with too much smoke and is useless. It is greasy and sticky. It is said that there are oil lakes in the mountains in the North, and it is used by birds and animals.

Once you enter it, you will be trapped and unable to extricate yourself. Even tigers, leopards, bears and wolves have difficulty getting out. Yes, are you saying that thing can be poured into the sleeve?" Su Heng shouted.

Fang Zian said: "Yes, it is this thing. But it is not poured directly, but the thicker oil left after refining. That thing is very viscous and should be used. But I don't know if Lin'an City has this thing.

, you can give it a try. I think there is a way, we are out of options now anyway, so we might as well give it a try."

"Why not? There is an ink-making workshop in Lin'an. The quality of graphite is very good and the materials are easy to obtain. This kind of oil is not difficult to obtain. It is available in Jiangbei. I saw some people shipping it into the city by ship." The old boss also understood that.

What is it? He also felt that it was not nonsense, so he said loudly.

Fang Zian said: "Then there is no need to say anything. I will go back to the city to find it now. We will do some verification here tomorrow morning. If it succeeds, we are done. If not, we will try again."

"Okay, I'll open the furnace on the spot and make the shaft sleeve." Su Hengdao.

Fang Zian said: "I suggest that this shaft sleeve is best made of logs. Firstly, it will not wear the main shaft. Secondly, you can use wood that swells when exposed to water and is wear-resistant, which will increase the degree of sealing. Thirdly, it can be produced quickly.

It will save you a lot of work."

The old leader said: "Use iron pear wood. This stuff is hard and tough, and it also absorbs water and swells. I asked my apprentices to look for this kind of wood overnight. This stuff is actually not difficult to find. There are a lot of it in the countryside here. Except when A wooden stool has no use other than as a cutting board."

Fang Zian said: "Okay, let's do it. Without further ado, I'll go now."

Wan Dahai shook his head at their idea, thinking that he

Their efforts were in vain. They thought that this method would definitely not work. But it was difficult to stop them. After drinking a few bowls of boring wine, they fell asleep.

But everyone else took action. Fang Zian stopped drinking, got up and set off. He and Shen Ling'er rushed back to Lin'an City at least overnight. The boss also ordered his disciples to go all over the country to find that kind of iron. Pear wood.

This kind of wood is actually very common. Because it is too hard and strong, it is difficult to burn in the fire and difficult to make furniture. Therefore, people often chop it down and use it as wooden piers or benches, or simply hammer it into the ground and nail a few wooden boards. They were tables, and some were simply thrown aside. So soon a large cart of logs of different thicknesses was brought in. According to what Su Heng said, the boss and others began to make cylindrical sealing shafts overnight. I made seven or eight of them, large and small, of various sizes for inspection.

At six o'clock the next day, Fang Zian and Shen Ling'er returned to Wantou Village on horseback with a large bucket of black and sticky stuff. Last night, Fang Zian found an ink-making workshop, bought a lot of oil, and transported it to Fangtou Village. In the courtyard of one of Yujun's campsites, an iron pot was set up and started to boil. Several large tanks of oil boiled for an hour or two, and what was finally obtained was a pile of black and sticky stuff. Fang Zian didn't know this. Whether it was asphalt, butter, or something else, he didn't care about anything else and put it all into a big wooden barrel and brought it.

Everyone gathered around to look at the contents of the bucket. Seeing the dark and pungent-smelling bucket stirred by Fang Zian with a wooden stick, everyone was a little nervous. They didn't know if this thing was useful. .

The verification started quickly. After filling an iron pear wood shaft sleeve with dark grease, it was put on a polished and extremely smooth simulated shaft body. The outside of the front end and the inside of the rear end were covered with ripe cowhide. After the leather gasket and oil seal, the already black and oily thing was inserted into the side wall of an empty barrel simulating a ship's cabin, and then dropped to the bottom of the river bend with stones. This simulated the situation underwater. Look at the water. Will the pressure squeeze the grease out of the tiny gaps?

Under the scorching sun, everyone stood on the shore and waited quietly. Everyone was sweating profusely, not only because of the heat, but also because of the anxiety in their hearts. When the barrel sank to the bottom of the water, the water surface was very calm at first. But After about a stick of incense, dark oil stains and blisters appeared on the water. Fang Zian's heart felt cold. He knew that the experiment had failed. The blisters must have been caused by oil pouring into the barrel, and then the water poured into the wood. in the barrel, and then the air in the barrel leaks out, which is why the phenomenon occurs.

The wooden barrel was quickly pulled out of the water. The barrel was filled with dirty water. All the grease in the shaft sleeve was squeezed and flowed into the barrel. The test failed.

Everyone was extremely frustrated, sighing one by one. Wan Dalong slapped his thigh in anger and cursed continuously. Mr. Liu put his head in his head and gasped, as if there were signs of a recurrence of his old illness.

Su Heng sighed and whispered to Fang Zian: "Mr. Fang, I'm afraid the plan to put the steam engine on the ship will fail. Hey, your idea is very good, and the steam engine is also effective, but I'm afraid this thing can only be used on land. There are many problems that are difficult to solve when it is installed on the ship. It seems that this matter needs to be considered in the long run."
Chapter completed!