▁the ▁British ▁Army ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁but ▁received ▁a ▁maximum ▁exem ption ▁through ▁the ▁efforts ▁of ▁his ▁employ er . ▁Pr eston ▁was ▁personally ▁against ▁the ▁exem ption ▁and ▁wrote ▁the ▁draft ▁board ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁stating ▁a ▁desire ▁to ▁serve ▁" in ▁anything ▁useful ▁and ▁suggested ▁a ▁brief ▁exem ption ." ▁ ▁Pr eston ▁first ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 . ▁His ▁employ er , ▁William ▁Taylor , ▁sent ▁him ▁to ▁Ro chester , ▁New ▁York ▁to ▁work ▁with ▁George ▁East man ▁of ▁East man ▁K od ak . ▁Taylor ▁had ▁developed ▁a ▁l ens ▁pol ishing ▁machine ▁that ▁East man ▁was ▁interested ▁in ▁using ▁for ▁his ▁camera ▁manufact uring ▁business . ▁Pr eston ▁returned ▁to ▁England ▁and ▁earned ▁a ▁Ph . D . ▁at ▁London ▁University ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 . ▁He ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁and ▁established ▁Pr eston ▁Labor ator ies ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁or ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁in ▁Butler . ▁ ▁Work ▁with ▁glass ▁Frank ▁W . ▁Pr eston ' s ▁" day ▁job " ▁centered ▁around ▁his ▁business , ▁Pr eston ▁Labor ator ies , ▁where ▁he ▁research ed ▁glass . ▁He ▁became ▁known ▁as ▁a ▁troubles ho oter ▁for ▁glass ▁companies ▁like ▁Cor ning ▁In cor por ated . ▁He ▁invent ed ▁a ▁glass - mel ting ▁furn ace ▁that ▁allowed ▁Cor ning ▁G lass ▁to ▁create ▁its ▁line ▁of ▁Cor elle ▁glass