Alexander Graham Bell
On 14th February 1876 Alexander Graham Bell filed a patent for his “Improvement in Telegraphy” with the US Patent Office, Washington, DC. This document described the basic principles of the telephone and controversy continues to this day that Elisha Gray had in fact submitted an alternative design earlier on the same day. However, United States Patent No. 174,465, was formally issued to Alexander Graham Bell and he is recognised the world over as the man who invented the telephone.