Access Control
Tripod Turnstiles
Tripod turnstiles for controlled pedestrian entry at gate houses, staff entrances and transit points, with drop-arm emergency release.
2 configurations
Explore product
Access Control & Vehicle Barriers/Pedestrian Access Control
Flap Barriers
High-throughput lobby control that does not read as a fence.
Access ControlKey specifications
- Throughput
- Higher than a tripod turnstile
- Wings
- Retracting acrylic or glass
- Accessibility
- Wide lane variant
- Specification
- Configured per lane at survey
* Final specification depends on door dimensions, configuration, operating environment and project requirements.
01Overview
About Flap Barriers
A flap barrier controls a lane with retracting wings rather than a rotating arm. Because the wings open ahead of an authorised user and close behind them, throughput is much higher than a tripod, and the visual language suits a building lobby rather than a plant gate.
Operating method
03Variants
Available configurations
The same product, built for a different job. Where a specification depends on opening dimensions, selected profile, operating duty or site conditions, the final configuration is confirmed during technical assessment.
Standard lane
The normal-width lane used for the majority of flow in a lobby installation.
Wide accessible lane
A wider clear passage for wheelchair users, trolleys and luggage. At least one is normally required per bank of lanes.
10Gallery
Flap Barriers in detail
04Technical specifications
Specification, features and ordering
Technical data is shown first; features, applications, compatibility, installation, safety, ordering and downloads are a click away.
Dimensions5 fields
- Clear passage width
- Typically 500–650 mm for a standard lane, depending on model
- Accessible lane width
- Typically 900 mm, with some models adjustable to about 950 mm
- Housing length
- Typically 1,400–1,600 mm depending on model
- Housing width
- Typically 200–500 mm per housing depending on model
- Housing height
- Typically 1,000–1,050 mm; glass obstacles from 900 mm up to 1,700 mm on some models
At least one wide lane is normally required per bank.
Throughput4 fields
- Throughput
- Typically 25–30 persons/min per lane, depending on the access control system's response and the users
- Opening time
- Around 0.9–1.2 s depending on model
- Closing time
- Around 0.9–1.2 s depending on model
- Mean cycles between failure
- Manufacturer ratings of up to 5,000,000 cycles with recommended maintenance, depending on model
Construction4 fields
- Housing material and finish
- Brushed AISI 304 stainless steel housing on a zinc-plated steel frame; painted finishes available on some models
- Arm or wing material
- Tempered glass obstacles, typically 10 mm, swinging or sliding clear of the lane
- Mechanism
- DC motor with epicyclic gearbox and electromagnetic brake per obstacle; controlled acceleration and deceleration, locking against forced entry
- Reader mounting provision
- Reader integration in the housing or on an extension housing; support posts for third-party readers
Power and environment5 fields
- Supply voltage
- 110–240 V AC single phase 50/60 Hz; 24 V DC motors
- Power consumption
- Typically around 50 W standby, 170 W per cycle and 300 W maximum per lane, depending on model
- IP rating
- Typically IP40; indoor product
- Operating temperature
- Typically 0 °C to +50 °C
- Indoor or outdoor
- Indoor; sheltered lobbies and reception areas
Control4 fields
- Reader interface
- Dry-contact input per direction from any access control reader; Ethernet or USB interface on some models
- Signal type
- Volt-free contacts for passage authorisation, passage confirmation, fraud and fault
- Direction control
- Bidirectional, with each direction independently free, controlled or locked
- Indicators and counting
- Orientation and status pictograms on the housing; passage counting through the controller
Safety and egress4 fields
- Behaviour on power failure
- Obstacles release for egress; battery backup opens them automatically on some models
- Behaviour on fire alarm
- Set by the building's fire strategy; a fire alarm input opens or releases the lane where required
- Emergency release
- Push-to-open egress mode and manual release, depending on model
- Obstruction and tailgate detection
- Infrared photocell matrix tracks each user through the lane, detects tailgating and wrong-way entry, and holds the obstacles clear of a person in the lane
Compliance3 fields
- Product standard
- No single product standard governs speed gates; escape-route behaviour is set by the building's fire strategy and the supplied unit's own documentation applies
- Conformity marking
- As applicable to the supplied unit and market
- Certificate reference
- Manufacturer's documentation for the supplied model; available on request
Escape route behaviour is set by the building's fire strategy.
| Clear passage width | Typically 500–650 mm for a standard lane, depending on model |
|---|---|
| Accessible lane widthAt least one wide lane is normally required per bank. | Typically 900 mm, with some models adjustable to about 950 mm |
| Housing length | Typically 1,400–1,600 mm depending on model |
| Housing width | Typically 200–500 mm per housing depending on model |
| Housing height | Typically 1,000–1,050 mm; glass obstacles from 900 mm up to 1,700 mm on some models |
| Throughput | Typically 25–30 persons/min per lane, depending on the access control system's response and the users |
|---|---|
| Opening time | Around 0.9–1.2 s depending on model |
| Closing time | Around 0.9–1.2 s depending on model |
| Mean cycles between failure | Manufacturer ratings of up to 5,000,000 cycles with recommended maintenance, depending on model |
| Housing material and finish | Brushed AISI 304 stainless steel housing on a zinc-plated steel frame; painted finishes available on some models |
|---|---|
| Arm or wing material | Tempered glass obstacles, typically 10 mm, swinging or sliding clear of the lane |
| Mechanism | DC motor with epicyclic gearbox and electromagnetic brake per obstacle; controlled acceleration and deceleration, locking against forced entry |
| Reader mounting provision | Reader integration in the housing or on an extension housing; support posts for third-party readers |
| Supply voltage | 110–240 V AC single phase 50/60 Hz; 24 V DC motors |
|---|---|
| Power consumption | Typically around 50 W standby, 170 W per cycle and 300 W maximum per lane, depending on model |
| IP rating | Typically IP40; indoor product |
| Operating temperature | Typically 0 °C to +50 °C |
| Indoor or outdoor | Indoor; sheltered lobbies and reception areas |
| Reader interface | Dry-contact input per direction from any access control reader; Ethernet or USB interface on some models |
|---|---|
| Signal type | Volt-free contacts for passage authorisation, passage confirmation, fraud and fault |
| Direction control | Bidirectional, with each direction independently free, controlled or locked |
| Indicators and counting | Orientation and status pictograms on the housing; passage counting through the controller |
| Behaviour on power failure | Obstacles release for egress; battery backup opens them automatically on some models |
|---|---|
| Behaviour on fire alarm | Set by the building's fire strategy; a fire alarm input opens or releases the lane where required |
| Emergency release | Push-to-open egress mode and manual release, depending on model |
| Obstruction and tailgate detection | Infrared photocell matrix tracks each user through the lane, detects tailgating and wrong-way entry, and holds the obstacles clear of a person in the lane |
| Product standardEscape route behaviour is set by the building's fire strategy. | No single product standard governs speed gates; escape-route behaviour is set by the building's fire strategy and the supplied unit's own documentation applies |
|---|---|
| Conformity marking | As applicable to the supplied unit and market |
| Certificate reference | Manufacturer's documentation for the supplied model; available on request |
Final specification depends on door dimensions, configuration, operating environment and project requirements.
FAQ
Questions we are actually asked
- Which turnstile type suits my entrance?
- It follows supervision and throughput. Flap barriers for high-flow supervised lobbies, tripod turnstiles for gate houses and staff entrances, full height turnstiles where the point is unsupervised and has to be genuinely unclimbable.
- Do they work with our existing access control system?
- In almost all cases, yes. The lane accepts a release signal and returns passage events over standard dry contacts, so the credential technology is your choice.
- What happens on a fire alarm?
- Arms drop, free-spin or the wings retract so the lane becomes clear escape width. The exact behaviour is specified against the building's escape strategy and tested at commissioning.
- Can one lane be used for both entry and exit?
- Yes — direction is configurable per lane as entry only, exit only, bi-directional or free passage.
Engineering enquiry
Get a specification for Flap Barriers.
Five answers about the opening are usually enough for us to come back with a configuration and a price.
Loading enquiry form…
Get in touch
Or talk it through with an engineer.
If it is easier to describe the opening than to write it down, call or message us and we will work through it with you.