A
bell is a simple sound-making machine. In its most classical form it is a [church bell]
?. Bells can be of all sizes: From dress accessories to church bells literally weighing tons. Bells are common for raising attention, and the word is also used for the ringer in
telephones, on
bicycles and in [door bell]
?s.
The
Bell telephone company was founded by
Alexander Graham Bell. In the
19th century Bell was acquired by AT&T, often called Ma Bell, which maintained a telephone monopoly in the
United States until 1984. The breakup of AT&T led to the creation of seven regional phone companies, called Baby Bells. The name persists in companies such as [Pacific Bell]
? and [Southwestern Bell]
?, which are now brands of [SBC Communications]
?.
See also telephone, AT&T, Bell Labs, and Lucent.
Bell Aircraft manufactured a number of important early aircraft, such as the P-39 Aircobra. They also made a series of research aircraft, including the X-1
?, the first aircraft to exceed the speed of sound ([mach 1]
?).
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