16 Keynotes September 2024 aloa.org INSTITUTIONAL SPOTLIGHT Institutional Locksmith Career Essentials: Commercial Hardware Steve B. Fryman, CRL, CAI, CISM, AFDI, explains what every institutional locksmith needs to know. This is the second article in a series about fundamental skills and knowledge nec- essary for institutional locksmiths. The first article in the series provided a broad understanding of enterprise multilevel master key systems. Here are some key topics from that article: Master key systems and the locksmith community Taking master key classes at ALOA Conventions What did I learn from the classes? System structure and record-keeping Basic mechanical and arithmetic concepts I T IS AMAZING THAT HUMANKIND has used some form of hardware since ancient times. In 2000 B.C., Mesopotamian/Egyptian carpen- ters were creating locking wooden bars to secure doors from the inside. When a natural evolution occurred with the need for unlocking/locking the bar from the outside, the wooden pin tumbler lock was born. The wooden key would release a lever, enabling the key holder access via pushing the lever that would release the bar to unlock the door. Modern History Hardware Evolution Throughout modern history, we have seen many great innovators at the forefront of the commercial hardware industry. Names that come to mind include Lynus Yale Jr., Frank E. Best, and Medeco innovators Paul A. Powell and Roy C. Spain. These great minds have engineered a course, forming the base of all things in the mechanical world of physical security. Lifesaving Innovations Become Industry Standards Though panic bars were patented in 1883 by John M. J. Wernert, it was Vonnegut Hardware Company that popularized them. The tragedy of a fire at the Iroquois Theater in Chicago on Dec. 30, 1903, inspired the company to market a solu- tion to help people safely exit buildings during emergencies, as around 600 lives were lost. The Vonnegut Hardware Com- pany created its version in 1908 and sold the device under the name Von Duprin, which was a combination of the inven- tors’ last names: Vonnegut, Dupont and Prinzler. The institution where I work has used the Von Duprin exit device since it first entered the market. The remnants of the hardware from the early 1900s is long gone, but the use of the modern fire-rated Von Duprin is very much a mainstay to protect life and property. In 1896, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) was established to provide the hardware industry, building officials, fire officials and end-users fire codes and standards, which are reeval- uated on a regular basis. NFPA 101-2024 Life Safety Code, and NFPA 80-2022 Standard for Fire Doors and Other Opening Protectives are each updated and published on a 3-year cycle. [Editor’s note: It is worth noting that the Interna- tional Building Code (IBC) - published by the International Code Council - is the most prevalent building code in the country. Relevant information about life safety is found in “Chapter 10 - Means of Egress”.] As physical security profession- als, we need to remain current with code changes. ALOA is a wonderful source for taking classes on life safety and fire code use. After thousands of years, the need to secure doors still exists. As physical security professionals, we need to follow the evolution of commercial hardware. As needs arise for improving physical security, hardware manufacturers rise to the occasion to meet needs. Currently, there are three dominant hardware manufacturers: ASSA ABLOY, Ingersoll Rand and dormakaba. Let’s call them the “Big Three.” Everyone has their favorites for various reasons based on durability, reliability and familiarity. The big three have been on a buying spree for the last few years, gobbling up manufacturers left and right. Let’s look at a few of the brands that each company owns.
