A manual turnstile is an access control turnstile that controls the flow of pedestrian traffic mechanically without the aid of electronics. Instead of using electronic locking to control access, these turnstiles control access with the direction that they spin.
Manual turnstiles can take many shapes and forms. Many different full height and waist-high access control turnstiles are manual. Also, portable turnstiles are modified versions of waist-high manual turnstiles. They have wheels and an extended baseplate to allow them to be moved at will. Manual turnstiles can be configured to allow entry only or exit only access.
Manual turnstiles are most commonly used for controlling people traffic rather than for security. Since they do not lock electronically, they are often used to ensure that pedestrian traffic flows in a single direction. Specifically, these turnstiles are great for amusement parks, sports stadiums, concerts, and more. They can be set up in a series at exit points to restrict reentry or they can simply be used to ensure single-file access at an entrance.
