Open sesame: one swinghandle, multiple security levels

After almost two decades of development, a fire protection standard for rail transport in the European Union came into force in 2013: the EU standard ISO 45545. Since then, strict minimum requirements for material properties have been in force not only throughout Europe but worldwide. Annual conferences (including the “Fire Protection of Rolling Stock” (FPRS)) are held to regularly review the state of the art in research and technology. The current requirements in the railway industry were last but not least the reason for the development of the new flat designed swinghandle by EMKA. The key feature of this handle: It has an extremely flat design and is equipped with interchangeable components. It is mounted only 9 mm on the cabinet surface and is therefore ideally suited for areas with narrow passages, in escape routes or for design-oriented enclosures.

Flat design, high flexibility

In addition, the new flat EMKA swinghandle has an ingenious feature: the divided recess is designed as a module in the lower area, which allows the modules to be exchanged from the front of the cabinet – without the need for time-consuming dismantling of the entire handle. The following interchangeable modules are available: profile half cylinder, Kaba cylinder, round cylinder, and various actuations.

The module technology makes the handle flexible for different security levels. In addition to use in rail transport, the swinghandle can therefore also be used in all common areas where different security requirements apply. For less stringent safety requirements, the handle can be combined with a simple tongue and actuation. If high-security demands are made, it is recommended to equip the handle with a DIN or Kaba cylinder and a bar lock for connection to a multi-point locking system. The latter gives the entire locking system additional stability. In addition, an integrated “scratch protection” prevents the handle from scratching the recess each time it is opened or closed.