Roller Shutter Glossary

Lath: One horizontal slat of a shutter curtain. Laths interlock so the curtain can roll up.
Curtain: The flexible sheet of interlocking laths that rolls up and down.
Headbox: The box above the opening that houses the rolled-up curtain and barrel.
Guides: The vertical channels either side of the opening that the curtain runs in.
Bottom rail: The heavier section at the foot of the curtain that meets the ground or cill, often with a seal or lock.
Barrel: The tube the curtain wraps around, which may contain springs or a motor.
End plates: The plates at each end of the box that carry the barrel.
Tubular motor: A motor that fits inside the barrel; standard on house shutters and many shop shutters.
Tube motor: Trade term for a heavier-duty motor that fits inside the barrel, typically on shop and commercial shutters; the same principle as a tubular motor at a larger size.
Gear motor: A side-mounted motor and gearbox used on large industrial doors.
Limits: The settings that tell a motor where fully open and fully closed are.
Safety edge: A pressure-sensitive strip on the bottom rail that stops or reverses a powered door if it touches something.
Photocells: Light beams across the opening that stop a closing door if broken.
Light curtain: A grid of light beams across an opening, common on high-speed doors.
Obstacle detection: A motor feature that stops the shutter if it meets resistance.
Key switch: A switch operated by a key, often fitted outside to control a shutter.
Manual override: A way of operating a powered shutter by hand, such as a crank or release, in a power cut or emergency.
Crank handle: A removable handle that winds a manual or override gearbox.
Push-up shutter: A small manual shutter balanced by springs and raised by hand.
Spring balance: Springs in the barrel that counterbalance the weight of a manual curtain.
End locks: Clips on the ends of laths that stop them sliding sideways and help keep the curtain in the guides.
Anti-lift device: Locking straps or clips that stop a closed shutter being forced up from outside.
Wind locks: Hooks or clips on laths that stop the curtain blowing out of the guides on wide openings.
Foam-filled lath: A double-skin aluminium lath with a polyurethane foam core; light and insulating.
Extruded lath: An aluminium lath formed by extrusion as a rigid, usually double-wall profile; stiffer and tougher than roll-formed laths.
Roll-formed lath: A lath shaped from strip metal by rollers; most steel and foam-filled laths are made this way.
Perforated lath: A lath punched with small holes so light and views pass through.
Vision lath: A lath with larger punched slots or clear inserts for visibility.
Roller grille: An open shutter made from horizontal tubes and vertical links.
Galvanising: A zinc coating that protects steel from corrosion.
Powder coating: A baked-on paint finish for steel and aluminium.
RAL colour: A standard colour reference system used to order finishes.
Face-fixed: Box and guides mounted on the face of the wall.
Recessed: Box and guides fitted inside the reveal of the opening.
Reveal: The side surface of an opening between the frame and the face of the wall.
Lintel: The beam over an opening that supports the wall above.
Soffit: The underside of a lintel, arch or roof overhang.
Fascia: The board across the top of a shopfront, behind which a shutter box is often hidden.
Drop: The height the curtain travels from fully open to fully closed.
Duty cycle: How often a door opens and closes; it decides motor size and service interval.
Fusible link: A link that melts at a set temperature to release a fire shutter.
Drop test: A service test that releases a fire shutter to prove it closes fully at a controlled speed.
Integrity (E): The fire-test measure of how long a product stops flames and hot gases passing through.
Insulation (I): The fire-test measure of how long a product limits the temperature rise on the unexposed side.
BS 476-22: A British fire-resistance test standard for non-loadbearing elements such as shutters.
BS EN 1634-1: The European fire-resistance test standard for doors and shutters.
BS EN 13241: The product standard for industrial, commercial and garage doors.
BS EN 12453: The standard for safety in use of power-operated doors.
BS 7671: The UK wiring regulations that electrical work follows.
Part P: The part of the Building Regulations in England and Wales covering electrical safety in homes.
LPS 1175: LPCB's standard for the attack resistance of security products, rated by attack toolkit and delay.
STS 202: A burglary-resistance standard covering doorsets, windows, grilles, garage doors and shutters, with burglary-resistance (BR) classes for the tested product.
PAS 24: An enhanced security performance standard for doors and windows, used mainly on homes; it applies to the door or window behind a shutter, not to the shutter.
UKCA marking: The UK conformity mark used on construction products and other goods sold in Great Britain.
Permitted development: Work that can be done without a planning application, within set limits.
Listed building consent: Permission needed for works that affect the character of a listed building.
Conservation area: An area of special architectural or historic interest with extra planning controls.
Article 4 direction: A council direction that removes certain permitted development rights in an area.
Responsible person: The person with fire safety duties for premises in England and Wales.
Duty holder: The person with fire safety duties for premises in Scotland.
Appropriate person: The person with fire safety duties for premises in Northern Ireland.
Made to measure: Manufactured to the exact sizes taken at survey rather than from stock.

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