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What does it do?
As soon as the fire alarm is tripped or power is lost, the barriers slide back into the housing, offering easy exit.
Additionally, PathMinder barriers are made of glass, so the barriers themselves won't experience any of the fire- or heat-related problems of polycarbonate barriers.
How does it work?
Every PathMinder sliding barrier unit has a large spring on the motor shaft. When power is lost, the spring pulls the barriers all the way back into the housing, in about a half second. In additon, PathMinder turnstiles have a fire alarm override input. This is a normally-closed dry contact input; when the fire alarm is tripped, the contact opens, and the turnstile cuts power to the barriers.
Some other systems rely on batteries to provide emergency power to barriers. Such systems are less safe: batteries degrade or leak over time, and might not be able to provide enough power when an emergency occurs. They are very dangerous in a fire, becoming a possible explosion hazard. And maintenance needs/costs increase, as batteries must be tested and replaced periodically. Our fire inspector frowns on this approach.
Why should I consider it for my site?
Mechanical barrier retraction is safer, more reliable, and eliminates one more periodic maintenance cost.
Which models offer it?
All PathMinder turnstiles with barriers offer mechanical barrier retraction.
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