Charles Brooks of Newark, New Jersey invented improvements to street sweeper trucks that he patented on March 17, 1896. His truck had revolving brushes attached to the front fender and the brushes were interchangeable with scrapers that could be used in winter for snow removal. Charles Brook also designed an improved refuse receptacle for storing the collected garbage and litter and a wheel drive for the automatic turning of the brushes and for powering a lifting mechanism for the scrapers.

Charles Brooks also patented an early paper punch, also called a ticket punch. It was a ticket punchthat had a built-in receptacle on one of the jars to collect the round pieces of waste paper and prevent littering.