CorkboardIn 1891, the first US patent was issued for pure corkboard to John T. Smith of Brooklyn, NY. Manufacture was begun in Brooklyn in 1894 by Stone and Duryea. Cork covering was produced first, followed by the manufacture of pure corkboard. (No. 456,068) He described a process whereby to subject "cork in a more or less fine state in a closed vessel to heat, so as to melt and volatilize the resinous matter contained in it, permitting some of the vapor to escape from the vessel and cementing the cork particles together by the condensation of the remaining vaporized resinous matter." The patent commented on the value of the product in life-preservers for being less dense and more waterproof after this treatment. |
