Turnstile Glossary

Access control is the act of controlling who has authorized access to a building, data, or resources. It is commonly used in the security and IT industry.

An access control system is a system where devices and softwares work together to determine who can enter and exit a facility. It is a vital security measure in a wide range of facilities today and can be integrated with different types of turnstiles.

An alarm system is basically a set of components that produces audible, visual, or other kinds of alarm signals to alert individuals about an urgent problem or situation.

Alert is a type of signal that alarms people about a problem or situation. It can be in audio and video form.

ADA turnstile is a special type of gate that is compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act manufacturing standards. These gates are atleast 32 inches wide and provide extra space so people with disabilities can enter and exit easily.

Arm cover is a cushioned safety pad designed to prevent injury while using turnstiles. It is used to cover the arm of the turnstiles and make them comfortable to use.

Arm length defines how long is the arm of the turnstile. It is always measured from the arm hub to the tip of the arm.

A turnstile that comes backed with anti-passback feature is called antipassback turnstile. It is an advanced security feature used to prevent tailgating.

A barrier-free turnstile is a special type of turnstile that uses optical beams to detect users instead of using mechanical barriers. Most of the optical turnstiles are barrier-free these days.

A bi-directional turnstile is a type of turnstile that can be accessed from two directions. In other words, it allows you to enter and exit from both directions.

The bottom part of the turnstile cabinet is the base plate. Its job is to lay a foundation for installing the turnstile properly and help it stay firm in the position.

A card reader is a device utilized in physical security systems like turnstiles to read credentials through radiocommunication and grant access. Magnetic stripe reader, bar code reader, proximity reader, smart card reader, and biometric reader are some intuitive examples.

A cabinet is a part of the turnstile responsible for housing the arms and accessories. It is available in a wide range of colors, finishes, and styles.

Cabinet style is a term used in describing the finish, color, shape, and size of the turnstile cabinet.

When the arms of the turnstiles rotate in the same direction as the clock’s hand, they are said to rotate in a clockwise direction.

A conduit opening is basically a hole through which primary cables are connected to the turnstile. Most often this hole is present on the underside of the turnstile cabinet baseplate and wiring is done from the ground.

The counter is a turnstile accessory used in facilities where tracking of people entering and exiting is a priority. It is great for collecting data in a facility.

When the arms of turnstiles rotate in the opposite direction to the clock’s hand, they are said to be in a counter-clockwise direction. Its other name is anticlockwise direction.

Crawl detection is a security feature that uses infrared transmitters & receivers to detect an individual while crawling over or under the turnstile.

Crawl overprotection is a safety feature that detects when an individual tries to crawl over turnstile arms without any access permission.

This is a safety feature that detects when someone tries to access a facility by crawling under the turnstile arms. It uses infrared transmitters and receivers for detection.

A credential is digital or physical proof that allows you to pass through an access control system. It is verified by card readers.

Dry contact is the medium through which readers and turnstile solenoids communicate with each other and decide when to unlock/lock the turnstile. It is also called volt-free.

Electronic operation refers to the process of locking solenoids and an electronic interface board with flexible time control.

Electronic control is an intelligent feature that allows connecting turnstile with third-party access control softwares.

Under fail-safe operation, the turnstile gate is free to spin and rotate freely during a power outage, failure, or emergency.

During a power outage, the turnstile will lock itself and can’t be used manually by individuals. This feature is called a fail secure operation.

Flow refers to the number of individuals passing through the turnstile in a fixed interval of time. The core purpose of deploying turnstiles is to control traffic flow and avoid overcrowding.

A full-height turnstile is one of the most secure turnstiles. It revolves in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions. Plus it can be crawled under or climbed over.

The verbal meaning of free egress is to exit freely. All-access control systems come with this feature to allow unrestricted excess through turnstiles. It is used often during emergencies.

Gate is a hinged barrier used in creating an entrance and exit path for visitors. Turnstile is a specialized type of gate that allows users to enter a facility one at a time.

A hands-free turnstile is a special type of turnstile that allows authorized individuals to enter a facility without any touch or human intervention.

A heel guard is a cushioned sleeve used in covering the lowest arms of large turnstiles. It ensures no individual gets a heel injury while using the turnstile. It is also called a heel pad.

Hub is referred to as the junction where all the endpoints of three turnstile arms meet and connect with the turnstile mechanism.

Hydraulic shock suspension is a mechanism that allows system engineers to control the speed at which turnstile arms can spin. This should be set properly, else can lead to potential injuries and harm to individuals passing through the turnstile.

A hard to breach barrier is termed an impassable barrier. For example, a full-height turnstile is an impassable barrier that doesn’t allow unauthorized individuals to pass through in any possible way.

A lane is simply a passageway with the help of which individuals can enter or exit a facility. The fundamental purpose of using turnstile gates is to provide controlled entry into the lanes and avoid overcrowding.

Lane status indicator is present on the top of optical turnstiles. It produces a visual signal that indicates whether the lane is open or closed

Lane width is referred to the width of the passageway. Generally, ADA turnstiles have large width compared to other types of turnstiles.

With reference to the direction and position of the turnstile, we term them as a left-handed and right-handed turnstile. For example, a waist-high turnstile will be considered left-handed if its cabinet is situated on the left side of the entrance.

This is a turnstile mechanism configuration used in locking entry in the facility. Using free egress entry or presenting credentials is the only way to pass locked entry.

This is a turnstile mechanism used in locking the exit in the facility. Individuals have to present credentials or use the free egress feature to exit the building in this case.

This is a steel plate on which the turnstile mechanism is fixed. It lays the foundation of the turnstile.

A motion sensor is an electronic device used in detecting moving objects and individuals. It is most commonly utilized in access control systems.

Manual key override is a safety feature that unlocks the turnstiles & access control systems during hardware failure or emergency.

A motorized turnstile is a turnstile that uses an internal motor for its efficient opening and closing. It can’t operate without any motor.

One-way swing means a gate that swings only in one direction.

Optical turnstiles are a special type of turnstiles that utilizes infrared optical beams to control entry in a facility. They are barrier-free and don’t come with arms as well.

An optical lane mounting platform is used in installing optical turnstiles. It reduces the need of drill or cutting floors for installation purpose.

Padded arm cover is a type of safety sleeve used in covering the arms of the turnstile. It is utilized to avoid potential injuries.

Piggybacking is a technique that unauthorized people use to access the turnstile and enter the facility with the help of an authorized user.

Portable turnstile is a compact turnstile that can easily be moved from one place to another depending upon the security requirements.

Power outage is an event when the electrical power supply in a turnstile stops. It occurs because of bad climate or due to underlying problems in the electricity network.

Power supply is an electrical device that transfers electric power to the load; an component that consumers electrical power.

Quality control is the process of manufacturing products according to industry standards. For example, turnstiles need to pass a certain level of tests before they are deployed in the workspaces.

This is a process of integrating an identification reader with turnstile gates. It is initiated to improve the access control capabilities of a turnstile.

With reference to the direction and position of the turnstile, we term them as a left-handed and right-handed turnstile. For example, a waist-high turnstile will be considered right-handed if its cabinet is situated on the right side of the entrance.

Safety sleeve is a cushioned pad used in covering the arms of turnstiles. It used in preventing potential injuries that may happen to individuals while using the turnstiles.

Shock absorber is a component used in the turnstile mechanism. It plays a vital role in controlling the rotation speed of turnstile arms.

Solenoid is a transducer that converts electrical energy into linear motion. In an turnstile, the job of solenoid is to deliver the motion required to lock and unlock the gear that foresees the turnstile motion.

Swipe to enter is a feature in modern turnstiles where users have to swipe a card in order to access a facility. Without card, an individual is not allowed to pass the turnstile gate.

Tailgating is a technique in which an authorized person tries to access a restricted facility by following an authorized person. The fundamental idea of introducing turnstiles in facilities is to prevent tailgating and overcrowding.

Turnstile is a type of security gate used in controlling entry and exit in and out of a facility. It allows one person to pass at a time and helps in avoiding overcrowding.

This is a half-height turnstile with three revolving arms that rotate vertically to allow one person to pass at a time.

A tandem turnstile is a combination of two full height turnstiles. It is ideal for facilities where saving space is a priority.

Throughput is the measure of how quickly permitted individuals can pass through a turnstile. Facilities with access control systems tend to have low throughput rate while the ones with no access control systems deliver high throughput rate.

When the arms of a turnstile reaches up to the waist of the user, this turnstile is called a waist-high turnstile.