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'''Charles B. Brooks''' (1865-?) was an African-American inventor. Born in [[Virginia]] in 1865, by the 1890s he was a resident of [[Newark, New Jersey]]. Besides inventing Brooks was also a [[Pullman porter|porter]] for the [[Pullman Company|Pullman Palace Car Company]].<ref>Helton, Daniel. “Brooks, Charles B. (1865- ?),” Blackpast.org, Retrieved May 5, 2018, http://www.blackpast.org/aah/brooks-charles-b-1865.</ref> Unlike other sweepers at that time (1890s), Brooks’ sweeper was the first self-propelled [[street sweeping]] truck.<ref>D’Ambrosio, Brian. From Football to Fig Newtons: 76 American Inventors and The Inventions You Know by Heart (self-pub., Lulu.com, 2011), p.25.</ref> His design had revolving brushes attached to the front fender, and the brushes were interchangeable so that when snow fell, scrapers could be attached for snow removal.<ref>D’Ambrosio, p.25.</ref> He received a patent for his invention on March 17, 1896 ([https://patents.google.com/patent/US556711 US Patent #556,711]).<ref>Foy, David M. Great Discoveries and Inventions by African-Americans, (Bloomington, IN: Authorhouse, 2012), p.83.</ref> A few months later, on May 12, 1896, he patented a dust-proof collection bag for the street sweeper ([https://patents.google.com/patent/US560154 US Patent #560,154]).<ref>Wilson, Donald and Jane Wilson, The Pride of African American History: Inventors, Scientists, Physicians, Engineers: Featuring Many Outstanding African Americans and More Than 1,000 African American Inventions Verified by U.S. Patent Numbers (Birmingham, MI: DCW Publishing, 2003), p.36.</ref>
'''Charles B. Brooks''' (1865-?) was an African-American inventor. Born in [[Virginia]] in 1865, by the 1890s he was a resident of [[Newark, New Jersey]]. Besides inventing Brooks was also a [[Pullman porter|porter]] for the [[Pullman Company|Pullman Palace Car Company]].<ref>Helton, Daniel. “Brooks, Charles B. (1865- ?),” Blackpast.org, Retrieved May 5, 2018, http://www.blackpast.org/aah/brooks-charles-b-1865.</ref> Unlike other sweepers at that time (1890s), Brooks’ sweeper was the first self-propelled [[street sweeping]] truck.<ref>D’Ambrosio, Brian. From Football to Fig Newtons: 76 American Inventors and The Inventions You Know by Heart (self-pub., Lulu.com, 2011), p.25.</ref> His design had revolving brushes attached to the front fender, and the brushes were interchangeable so that when snow fell, scrapers could be attached for snow removal.<ref>D’Ambrosio, p.25.</ref> He received a patent for his invention on March 17, 1896 ([https://patents.google.com/patent/US556711 US Patent #556,711]).<ref>Foy, David M. Great Discoveries and Inventions by African-Americans, (Bloomington, IN: Authorhouse, 2012), p.83.</ref> A few months later, on May 12, 1896, he patented a dust-proof collection bag for the street sweeper ([https://patents.google.com/patent/US560154 US Patent #560,154]).<ref>Wilson, Donald and Jane Wilson, The Pride of African American History: Inventors, Scientists, Physicians, Engineers: Featuring Many Outstanding African Americans and More Than 1,000 African American Inventions Verified by U.S. Patent Numbers (Birmingham, MI: DCW Publishing, 2003), p.36.</ref>


Although little information is available about his life, we do know that funding for the production for his sweeper was provided by George M. Hallstead and Plummer S. Page.<ref>Helton, “Brooks, Charles B. (1865- ?),” Blackpast.org.</ref> The production took place in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where each sweeper was priced at around $2,000.<ref>Helton, “Brooks, Charles B. (1865- ?),” Blackpast.org.</ref> It proved to be so successful that the Pennsylvania state government gave a $100,000 contract to the manufacturing company.<ref>Helton, “Brooks, Charles B. (1865- ?),” Blackpast.org.</ref> The maintenance superintendent of [[Buffalo, New York]], was so impressed with the Brook's design that he adopted the model for his city.<ref>Helton, “Brooks, Charles B. (1865- ?),” Blackpast.org.</ref>
Although little information is available about his life, we do know that funding for the production for his sweeper was provided by George M. Hallstead and Plummer S. Page.<ref name=xx1>Helton, “Brooks, Charles B. (1865- ?),” Blackpast.org.</ref> The production took place in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where each sweeper was priced at around $2,000.<ref name=xx1/> It proved to be so successful that the Pennsylvania state government gave a $100,000 contract to the manufacturing company.<ref name=xx1/> The maintenance superintendent of [[Buffalo, New York]], was so impressed with the Brook's design that he adopted the model for his city.<ref name=xx1/>


Brooks also received a third patent for what he called a “ticket punch” on October 31, 1893 ([https://patents.google.com/patent/US507672A/en US Patent #507,672]), an early example of a paper punch,<ref>Wilson and Wilson, p.36.</ref> unique for its time because unlike hole punchers of today, his had a built-in receptacle to catch the round pieces of waste paper there and prevent littering.<ref>D’Ambrosio, Football to Fig Newtons, p.25.</ref>
Brooks also received a third patent for what he called a “ticket punch” on October 31, 1893 ([https://patents.google.com/patent/US507672A/en US Patent #507,672]), an early example of a paper punch,<ref>Wilson and Wilson, p.36.</ref> unique for its time because unlike hole punchers of today, his had a built-in receptacle to catch the round pieces of waste paper there and prevent littering.<ref>D’Ambrosio, Football to Fig Newtons, p.25.</ref>

Revision as of 13:29, 20 March 2019

Charles B. Brooks (1865-?) was an African-American inventor. Born in Virginia in 1865, by the 1890s he was a resident of Newark, New Jersey. Besides inventing Brooks was also a porter for the Pullman Palace Car Company.[1] Unlike other sweepers at that time (1890s), Brooks’ sweeper was the first self-propelled street sweeping truck.[2] His design had revolving brushes attached to the front fender, and the brushes were interchangeable so that when snow fell, scrapers could be attached for snow removal.[3] He received a patent for his invention on March 17, 1896 (US Patent #556,711).[4] A few months later, on May 12, 1896, he patented a dust-proof collection bag for the street sweeper (US Patent #560,154).[5]

Although little information is available about his life, we do know that funding for the production for his sweeper was provided by George M. Hallstead and Plummer S. Page.[6] The production took place in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where each sweeper was priced at around $2,000.[6] It proved to be so successful that the Pennsylvania state government gave a $100,000 contract to the manufacturing company.[6] The maintenance superintendent of Buffalo, New York, was so impressed with the Brook's design that he adopted the model for his city.[6]

Brooks also received a third patent for what he called a “ticket punch” on October 31, 1893 (US Patent #507,672), an early example of a paper punch,[7] unique for its time because unlike hole punchers of today, his had a built-in receptacle to catch the round pieces of waste paper there and prevent littering.[8]

References

  1. ^ Helton, Daniel. “Brooks, Charles B. (1865- ?),” Blackpast.org, Retrieved May 5, 2018, http://www.blackpast.org/aah/brooks-charles-b-1865.
  2. ^ D’Ambrosio, Brian. From Football to Fig Newtons: 76 American Inventors and The Inventions You Know by Heart (self-pub., Lulu.com, 2011), p.25.
  3. ^ D’Ambrosio, p.25.
  4. ^ Foy, David M. Great Discoveries and Inventions by African-Americans, (Bloomington, IN: Authorhouse, 2012), p.83.
  5. ^ Wilson, Donald and Jane Wilson, The Pride of African American History: Inventors, Scientists, Physicians, Engineers: Featuring Many Outstanding African Americans and More Than 1,000 African American Inventions Verified by U.S. Patent Numbers (Birmingham, MI: DCW Publishing, 2003), p.36.
  6. ^ a b c d Helton, “Brooks, Charles B. (1865- ?),” Blackpast.org.
  7. ^ Wilson and Wilson, p.36.
  8. ^ D’Ambrosio, Football to Fig Newtons, p.25.