William Gray (inventor)

William Gray (born 1829, died 1903) was an American inventor best known for patenting the first coin-operated public telephone in 1889.

Gray, a Hartford, Connecticut mechanic, originally conceived the idea for a pay telephone after a visitor to his factory asked to use his telephone to call a doctor, but did not have any money. He felt a need for a publicly accessible telephone that would require payment before use.

His invention, initially installed at a bank in Hartford, consisted of a post-payment mechanism attached to a standard telephone. Users would deposit a coin (typically a nickel) which would unlock the telephone line, allowing them to make a call. Gray formed the Gray Telephone Pay Station Company to market and manufacture his invention.

Gray's pay telephone became a widespread success and was widely adopted throughout the United States. He held several patents related to pay telephones and telephone technology. His invention significantly contributed to the accessibility and widespread adoption of telephone services. He is recognized as a pioneer in the public telephone industry.