Von Duprin’s beginnings were based in solving a serious problem. In 1903, tragedy struck the Iroquois Theatre in Chicago when nearly 600 people lost their lives due, in part, to locked exit doors. The doors were locked to keep out those who did not pay to see the show, but in doing so, prevented those inside from escaping should anything go wrong. Carl Prinzler, a manager at Vonnegut Hardware Company, was horrified by the tragedy and with the help of his neighbor, Henry DuPont, set about developing a means to opening doors from the inside while keeping them locked on the outside. From their collaboration came the “panic bar” exit device, a design that continues to this day. The Von Duprin brand came together from the melding of the Vonnegut, DuPont, and Prinzler names in 1908.
Our inventory includes all models and accessories in up to eight different architectural finishes.
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