Blueprint of a Streetcar Trolley Guard by African American Inventor R.C. Dickenson

This original blueprint presents a detailed technical drawing for a streetcar trolley guard, designed and patented by African American inventor Robert C. Dickenson of Ohio. Patent awarded in 1919. Measuring 28" x 16", the blueprint includes precise illustrations, labeled components, and annotations specifying material requirements and finishing instructions. Key elements of the device, such as the steel roller shaft, copper trolley, steel trolley holder, fork and bar pin, and aluminum bracket, are meticulously depicted. A note in the lower section instructs the use of a spring and bolt, highlighting the careful engineering behind the invention. The provenance (truncated) of this patent comes from the estate of his brother, jazz trombonist Vic Dickenson.

Dickenson was awarded U.S. Patent No. 1,314,130 in 1919 for this trolley guard, a safety mechanism designed to prevent debris and obstacles from interfering with streetcar wheels and tracks. His invention was described in the Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office as “the combination with a trolley wheel having flanges and a bearing therefor, of a pair of rotatable rollers mounted at opposite sides of said wheel and having semi-spherical upper portions and frusto-conical lower portions overlying and engaging the flanges of said wheel.” In 1920, Dickenson co-founded The Dickenson Trolley Guard Manufacturing Company with four partners, capitalizing the business at $10,000, though no records confirm that the company ever produced the device. While Dickenson traveled frequently as a carpenter, his wife remained in Xenia, Ohio, raising their nine children. The blueprint is in very good condition, with clear line work and annotations. The deep blue background and white drafting lines remain well-preserved, showing only minor signs of wear along the edges and a small stain at the center. This artifact offers a valuable glimpse into the innovation of an African American inventor in a critical sector of his day and age. (Inventory #: 21603)