The Telephone and Its Several Inventors
A History
Published on 31. January 2006
Book
Paperback/Softback
240 pages
978-0-7864-2609-6 (ISBN)
Description
On March 7, 1876, the U.S. Patent Office issued to a young inventor named Alexander Graham Bell what is arguably the most valuable patent ever: entitled "improvements in telegraphy," in truth it secured for Bell the basic principles involved in a telephone.
On the same day that Bell filed his patent application, a caveat (a preliminary patent document) was filed by Elisha Gray. This coincidence sparked the first of many debates over whether Bell was the true inventor of the telephone. In the early 1860s Johann Phillipp Reis developed a version of the instrument, but his claims against Bell were hampered by the bungling of his lawyers in demonstrating his instrument in court. This work is a first look at the many men who developed the telephone and an examination of their claims against Bell's patent. A lay description of the phone is also provided, as well as a history of the development of the telephone system.
On the same day that Bell filed his patent application, a caveat (a preliminary patent document) was filed by Elisha Gray. This coincidence sparked the first of many debates over whether Bell was the true inventor of the telephone. In the early 1860s Johann Phillipp Reis developed a version of the instrument, but his claims against Bell were hampered by the bungling of his lawyers in demonstrating his instrument in court. This work is a first look at the many men who developed the telephone and an examination of their claims against Bell's patent. A lay description of the phone is also provided, as well as a history of the development of the telephone system.
Reviews / Votes
"history buffs will find the book of interest. All levels"-Choice; "a labor of love...exceptionally well-researched, and contains a fine balance of technical and often startling historical information that grips the reader's interest well past bedtime"-Inventor's Digest; "excellent"-Dots and Dashes.More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Jefferson, NC
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Interest Age: From 18 years
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
53 photos, appendices, glossary, bibliography, index
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Weight
399 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7864-2609-6 (9780786426096)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Previous edition
Book
07/1995
McFarland & Co Inc
€60.86
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Person
Lewis Coe of Crown Point, Indiana, is also the author of Wireless Radio (1996) and The Telegraph (1993).
Content
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Telephone Chronology viii
Introduction
1. The Patent
2. The Poor Schoolmaster
3. Yellow Breeches Creek
4. Under Pressure
5. Inventors Galore!
6. A Great Undertaking
7. Long Distance
8. A Man from Oberlin
9. Western Union
10. The Military Telephone
11. Down on the Farm
12. Collecting Telephones
13. Hackers and Phreaks
14. Over the Waves
15. The Singing Wires
16. How They Worked
17. The New Kids on the Block
18. Conclusion
Appendices
1. Cities with Independent Telephone Companies
2. Cities That Once Had Independent Telephone Companies
3. Associations and Publications Related to Telephony
4. Insulator Manufacturers in the United States
5. Telephone Manufacturers
6. Some Communications Museums in the United States
7. Affidavits of Zenas Fisk Wilber
8. Affidavits of Alexander Graham Bell in Reply to That of Zenas Fisk Wilber
9. The Untold Story of the Telephone
10. Alexander Graham Bell's Original Patent Application, 1876
11. Alexander Graham Bell's Patent Application, 1877
Glossary
Bibliography
Index
Acknowledgments
Telephone Chronology viii
Introduction
1. The Patent
2. The Poor Schoolmaster
3. Yellow Breeches Creek
4. Under Pressure
5. Inventors Galore!
6. A Great Undertaking
7. Long Distance
8. A Man from Oberlin
9. Western Union
10. The Military Telephone
11. Down on the Farm
12. Collecting Telephones
13. Hackers and Phreaks
14. Over the Waves
15. The Singing Wires
16. How They Worked
17. The New Kids on the Block
18. Conclusion
Appendices
1. Cities with Independent Telephone Companies
2. Cities That Once Had Independent Telephone Companies
3. Associations and Publications Related to Telephony
4. Insulator Manufacturers in the United States
5. Telephone Manufacturers
6. Some Communications Museums in the United States
7. Affidavits of Zenas Fisk Wilber
8. Affidavits of Alexander Graham Bell in Reply to That of Zenas Fisk Wilber
9. The Untold Story of the Telephone
10. Alexander Graham Bell's Original Patent Application, 1876
11. Alexander Graham Bell's Patent Application, 1877
Glossary
Bibliography
Index