Institutional door lock and retrofit mechanism

An institutional door lock system field retrofit mechanism comprising:

• a hollow substantially vertical door strike jamb configured to be durably mounted to an outside surface of a door frame on the side thereof opposite the door's hinge, the jamb including a catch-extension/retraction mechanism therein, the catch-extension/retraction mechanism including an alternately extendable and retractable catch selectively powered by an electronically controlled motor drive;
• a fronting plate mounted on the outside surface of the door adjacent the door strike jamb, the fronting plate including a handle and a columnar striker plate mechanism for receiving the alternately extendable and retractable catch when the door is closed, the fronting plate further including a first component part of a proximity/alignment detection mechanism;
• a backing plate generally coextensive with the fronting plate and mounted on an interior surface of the door opposite the fronting plate,
• the backing plate and the fronting plate being securely affixable to one another in place of an existing door plate/handle assembly by security fasteners extendable through the door;
• a remotely controllable switch mechanism operatively coupled with the catch-extension/retraction mechanism for operating the same to secure the door in a closed position relative to the frame;
• and
• a second component part of the proximity/alignment detection mechanism durably mountable to the door frame opposite the first component part thereof,
• the first and second component parts of the proximity/alignment detection mechanism configured to indicate remotely an open/lock position of the door relative the door frame.

An institutional door lock system field retrofit mechanism comprising:

• a hollow substantially vertical door strike jamb configured to be welded to an outside surface of an existing door frame on the side thereof opposite the door's hinge, the jamb including a catch-extension/retraction mechanism therein, the catch-extension/retraction mechanism including an alternately extendable and retractable catch selectively powered by an electronically controlled motor drive, the catch-extension/retraction mechanism operating in a fail-safe lock-down mode of operation in the event of power interruption or failure;
• a fronting plate mounted on the outside surface of the door adjacent the door strike jamb, the fronting plate including a handle and a columnar striker plate mechanism for receiving the alternately extendable and retractable catch when the door is closed, the fronting plate further including a first component part of a proximity/alignment detection mechanism;
• a backing plate generally coextensive with the fronting plate and mounted on an interior surface of the door opposite the fronting plate, the backing plate including no handle or a finger pull, the backing plate and the fronting plate being securely affixable to one another in place of an existing door plate/handle assembly by security fasteners extendable through the door;
• a remotely controllable switch mechanism operatively coupled with the catch-extension/retraction mechanism for operating the same to secure the door in a closed position relative to the frame;
• and
• a second component part of the proximity/alignment detection mechanism weldable to the door frame opposite the first component part thereof, the first and second component parts of the proximity/alignment detection mechanism configured to indicate remotely an open/lock position of the door relative the door frame,
• the door strike jamb configured as a durable-metal, square-tubular, vertical riser configured to house therein a vertically extending wiring harness for the catch-extension/retraction mechanism and for the proximity/alignment detection mechanism.