Flick eventually built a business producing
industrial cylinders. The cylinders incorporated patented design features
that made them the state-of-the-art in this segment of the cylinder
market. In fact, Flick’s advance was significant enough that he
successfully established a “school” to educate technicians
and engineers on the merits of his cylinders. To be sure, this was a
sales tool. But it also provided a general educational service.