Humanities › History & Culture Vulcanized Rubber Charles Goodyear received two patents for methods of making rubber better. Share Flipboard Email Print D. Appleton & Company//Wikipedia History & Culture Inventions Famous Inventions Famous Inventors Patents & Trademarks Invention Timelines Computers & The Internet American History African American History African History Ancient History and Culture Asian History European History Genealogy Latin American History Medieval & Renaissance History Military History The 20th Century Women's History View More By Mary Bellis Inventions Expert Mary Bellis covered inventions and inventors for ThoughtCo for 18 years. She is known for her independent films and documentaries, including one about Alexander Graham Bell. our editorial process Mary Bellis Updated December 24, 2018 Caoutchouc was the name for rubber used by the Indians of Central and South America. History of Caoutchouc Besides pencil erasers, rubber was used for many other products, however, the products were not standing up to extreme temperatures, becoming brittle in winter. During the 1830s, many inventors tried to develop a rubber product that could last year-round. Charles Goodyear was one of those inventors, whose experiments put Goodyear into debt and involved in several patent lawsuits. Charles Goodyear In 1843, Charles Goodyear discovered that if you removed the sulfur from rubber then heated it, it would retain its elasticity. This process called vulcanization made rubber waterproof and winter-proof and opened the door for an enormous market for rubber goods. Rubber Bands - On March 17, 1845, the first rubber band was patented by Stephen Perry of London, made from vulcanized rubber. Perry owned the manufacturing company Messers Perry and Co., of London, England.Elastic FabricsEraserHeelHoseRubber Soled ShoesRubber Stamp InventionBalloonsTiresVulcanized Rubber On June 24, 1844, Charles Goodyear was granted patent #3,633 for vulcanized rubber.