Chapter 285: The Seatbelt

Zhou Yimin didn’t beat around the bush and got straight to the point. “It’s a seatbelt, though the chances of it being a viable export may not be very high.”

“Seatbelt?” Factory Director Hu found the term a little odd.

“What does this seatbelt actually do?”

Before judging whether it was useful or not, they had to understand what purpose it served.

A car seatbelt is a safety device designed to restrain passengers during a collision and prevent secondary impact with the steering wheel or dashboard, or being thrown from the vehicle, which can lead to injury or death.

Also known as a seat safety belt, it’s a type of occupant restraint system. In later times, it became recognized as the cheapest and most effective safety device, and many countries made it mandatory for vehicles to be equipped with seatbelts.

In fact, seatbelts existed even before the invention of the automobile.

In 1885, when horse-drawn carriages were commonly used in Europe, seatbelts were simple straps meant to prevent passengers from falling out.

In 1955, aircraft designer Nils Bohlin joined Volvo and invented the three-point seatbelt.

By 1963, Volvo began registering Bohlin’s three-point seatbelt design and installing it in their cars.

Zhou Yimin explained, “The purpose of the seatbelt is to ensure the driver’s safety, and the cost isn’t very high.”

“If a car is going too fast and the driver brakes suddenly, people inside the cabin can easily be flung through the windshield. That almost happened yesterday.” He went on to explain the incident from the previous day.

“Yimin, are you alright?” Factory Director Hu asked with concern.

Zhou Yimin was now a prized asset of the steel factory. If something happened to him, it would be a loss for everyone. The factory’s current success was largely thanks to Zhou Yimin, and many brother factories were envious.

Some factories had even offered generous incentives to try and poach him.

To keep him, the leadership of the steel factory had pulled all the strings they could and used every connection they had. That’s the only reason he hadn’t been lured away.

“I’m fine, Director,” Zhou Yimin shook his head.

Director Hu said, “That’s good to hear. Do you have a sample of this seatbelt? Something everyone can see and understand?”

He was thinking ahead. Cars were more common and popular abroad, so if the seatbelt really was what Zhou said it was, it might be better suited for export rather than domestic use.

“A sample? I’d need help from some of the experienced workers in the factory to get that made,” Zhou Yimin thought for a moment before answering.

Although the seatbelt seemed simple, it actually had two main components—the belt itself and the retractor.

The retractor is the most complex mechanical part of a seatbelt. It stores the webbing and locks it when pulled suddenly.

From what he remembered, the retractor had a ratchet mechanism inside. Under normal circumstances, passengers could pull the belt out smoothly. But if the belt was yanked abruptly or the vehicle experienced a sudden stop, the ratchet would lock up and stop the webbing from extending.

The mounting components—tabs, brackets, bolts, and the like—connected to the car body or seat frame, and their positioning and sturdiness directly impacted both safety and comfort.

“As long as it doesn’t interfere with production, you’re allowed to bring in the senior workers to help you make a sample,” Director Hu authorized.

“With your support, Director, I’m confident I can make the seatbelt in the shortest possible time,” Zhou Yimin promised.

After saying that, he headed out.

He needed to find some of the seasoned craftsmen in the factory, so he went to Workshop No. 1.

Director Liao of the workshop saw Zhou Yimin and eagerly greeted him. “Team Lead Zhou, what brings you to the workshop?”

“I’m here to find Master Kong to ask for help making something,” Zhou Yimin replied.

“Master Kong…” Director Liao hesitated.

Master Kong was an eighth-level fitter in Workshop No. 1—one of the top in that category. Even the director couldn’t order him around and had to discuss things politely. Sometimes, he was afraid even his tone might offend the man.

“Don’t worry, Director Liao. I’ve already spoken with the Factory Director. As long as it doesn’t affect production, it’s fine,” Zhou Yimin explained.

He understood the director’s difficulty, which was why he’d mentioned Director Hu’s approval right away.

Upon hearing the Factory Director had approved it, Director Liao said at once, “In that case, you can go straight to him. He’s just over there.”

“Alright, I’ll go myself. No need to trouble you,” Zhou Yimin replied casually.

Before long, he approached a tall, middle-aged man, probably in his fifties. A small crowd was gathered around, observing and learning from him.

“Hello, Master Kong,” Zhou Yimin greeted.

Master Kong was in the middle of working on a component. The sudden voice startled him. Luckily, he reacted quickly and didn’t ruin the part—though his temper flared up immediately.

He turned around, ready to snap at whoever dared interrupt him during machining—normally, even the workshop director would wait until he’d finished before speaking.

“Who is it?” Master Kong asked irritably.

When he turned and saw Zhou Yimin, who was still politely waving hello, his previously stormy face lit up with a smile.

“Team Lead Zhou, what can I help you with?” he asked.

The way Master Kong’s demeanor shifted stunned everyone who knew his usual attitude.

They couldn’t believe this was the same Master Kong.

After all, even the workshop director rarely got a kind word from him, yet he was so warm toward Zhou Yimin.

The onlookers didn’t dare speak, but they were all buzzing internally.

“Master Kong, I need your help to make something,” Zhou Yimin got to the point.

Master Kong looked a little troubled. “Team Lead Zhou, I’d like to help, but I still have some parts left to finish. I probably won’t be done until the end of the day.”

Normally, he would have gladly helped if he was free. But today’s workload wasn’t done yet, and there wasn’t much time left before the end of the shift.

“No worries, Master Kong. The Factory Director has already given his approval,” Zhou Yimin explained.

“In that case, no problem. What exactly do you need me to make?” Master Kong asked.

He was quite confident in his craftsmanship.

“It’s a retractor. Its job is to hold a strip of material that can be pulled out smoothly under normal conditions but locks up if pulled too hard or quickly,” Zhou Yimin explained.

He gave a rough description of what the retractor did, unsure if Master Kong understood it completely.

Though the explanation was a bit abstract, Master Kong began processing it using his years of knowledge. After about ten minutes, he said, “Team Lead Zhou, I’ll make one and let you see if it’s what you’re looking for.”

(End of Chapter)