MagnaLatch Panic Bar and MagnaLatch ACCESS

Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children under 5. Safe pool fencing and gates can cut this rate in half. Gates that don’t latch securely are not effective. Traditional panic bar latches use spring activated latch bolts, which must be depressed as they cross the strike plate in order to latch. This mechanical resistance can potentially prevent latching. Eliminating this mechanical resistance and providing a greater tolerance for latch bolt misalignment is the goal of this project.

Permanent magnets never lose their attraction, and no power source is needed for them to work. Since gates are outside, temperature changes and ground movement can cause gates to shift. Magnetic latching allows for a larger range of this intraday movement. D&D had pioneered the use of these magnets in residential pool latches over 30 years ago. Applying this technology to panic bar exit devices was a natural extension of design but had new challenges. The magnetic latch bolt had to be positioned in the strike rather than the exit device and magnets for elevated temperatures had to be used.

The MagnaLatch® Panic Bar is intended to reduce accidents and save lives. Studies have shown that if a pool safety fence is breached by a young child, 30% of the time it is through a gate that has either been blocked open or is not closing properly. All components used are corrosion resistant for long service in the field. Most parts are aluminum or stainless steel and can be recycled at the end of life. The MagnaLatch® Panic Bar is suitable for new and retrofit applications and is compatible with a wide range of lever, electronic, and smart lock trims.

MagnaLatch® ACCESS is a complementary trim product created especially for pool safely. Like D&D’s residential MagnaLatch® Top and Vertical Pull models, MagnaLatch® ACCESS places the latch release knob high above the ground to keep it out of the reach of young children. Since MagnaLatch® ACCESS is for public use, the design knob requires no tight gripping or turning for arthritic users.