Carl Prinzler
Encyclopedia
Carl Prinzler was the Manager of the Builders Hardware Department at the Vonnegut Hardware Company
in 1903. Prinzler, along with his neighbor Henry DuPont, developed the first "panic bar" device for doors which can be opened from the inside despite being locked on the outside. This idea and subsequently an invention came about as a result of the Iroquois Theater Fire
. Prinzler devoted himself to the invention to ensure another tragedy such as this never happened again.
The panic bar was marketed under the Von Duprin
name. Von Duprin is a company which makes security related products.
Vonnegut Hardware Company
Clemens Vonnegut, Sr., a German former textile salesman in Amsterdam, arrived in Indianapolis in 1850 and entered into a partnership with fellow German Charles Vollmer shortly thereafter. Their merchandising store was called Vollmer & Vonnegut...
in 1903. Prinzler, along with his neighbor Henry DuPont, developed the first "panic bar" device for doors which can be opened from the inside despite being locked on the outside. This idea and subsequently an invention came about as a result of the Iroquois Theater Fire
Iroquois Theater Fire
The Iroquois Theatre fire occurred on December 30, 1903, in Chicago, Illinois. It is the deadliest theater fire and the deadliest single-building fire in United States history...
. Prinzler devoted himself to the invention to ensure another tragedy such as this never happened again.
The panic bar was marketed under the Von Duprin
Von Duprin
Von Duprin is a brand of security products. It was the producer of the first "panic bar" style door mechanism that allows a door to a public building to be locked from the outside but still easy to exit from the inside....
name. Von Duprin is a company which makes security related products.