Swinging Jail Door Locks

The Problem with Swinging Door Locks

Traditional swinging door locking systems in jails, prisons, and detention centers are frequently plagued by vulnerabilities due to age, damage, or design flaws, leading to compromised security. The standard installation approach of placing the lock in the frame and the strike on the door is prone to abuse and manipulation by the residents. This type of situation compromises the safety of residents and correctional officers, increasing the risk of inmate-on-inmate violence that could result in serious injury or death. Additionally, inmates can break Into other cells and steal or destroy property.

Stay ahead of security threats and minimize liability risks by upgrading your locks with The Wedge®.

The Wedge: Patented Platform for Maximum Security Detention Locks

This surface-mounted lock was designed as an alternative to standard swinging door installations. The Wedge platform consists of the patented double offset design, tamper alarm, and Gripper features to counter numerous manipulation attempts from inmates.

The Wedge is tried and tested in jails and prisons all over the country, with correctional facilities confirming its effectiveness in various applications, including maximum-security needs. By preventing breakouts, this lock has created an environment conducive to maintaining safety, often boosting the morale of jail staff in the process.

Delaying lock upgrades or choosing a system with fewer security features might seem like a cost-saving move, but if a compromised lock leads to an incident, your facility could face serious consequences such as code violations, legal action, and unexpected repair expenses.

Read the Case Study

The Wedge

The Willo Wedge is more than a locking device. It is a comprehensive security locking system that strengthens facility security and protects both staff and residents. Offering a completely different level of protection than a standard Grade 1 maximum security lock alone, the Wedge upgrades your existing swinging door locks to a tamper-resistant locking system. It is custom engineered to the door, frame, and wall condition, ensuring a tight fit while eliminating common tampering methods.

The Wedge’s patented Gripper system encloses the latch bolt in a reinforced steel housing, which effectively blocks any attempt to access or manipulate the locking mechanism from the inside of the cell. The design counters common methods of tampering such as popping or sheeting the lock.

To further safeguard the facility, the Wedge includes a tamper detection system that immediately alerts staff with both visual and audible signals if anyone attempts to interfere with the lock. Officers can act quickly, often before a breach occurs. The system also features three-point monitoring that confirms the door is shut, the roller bolt is engaged, and the latch is locked. When all three conditions are met, a green light appears, giving officers confidence that the door is fully secure.

Here’s why The Wedge stands out from other jail locks:

Thousands of Installations
Willo has sold thousands of the Wedge over the past 10+ years, with locks installed in the largest county jails, state correctional facilities, and municipalities in the U.S.

Impact Test Certified
The Wedge meets the ASTM F1450 standard required for Grade 1 detention frames and doors.

Patented Offset Design
The tamper-resistant design prevents access to the roller bolt and latch bolt from inside the cell.

Patented Gripper
Double-encapsulation of the roller bolt and latch bolt protects the area and prevents sheeting, carding, and other methods of defeating traditional locks.

Patented Tamper Alarm
Alerts staff when the roller bolt is depressed when the door is open, often a sign of someone attempting to destroy the ability for the lock to deadlock.

Hollow Receiver & Cleanout Port
This easily accessible cleanout area prevents debris from accumulating for reliable lock performance, allowing the latch bolt to fully extend and deadlock.

Secure Indication LED
The light turns green when the door is locked and red when the door is unlocked, alerting officers of the status of the lock at all times.

INTEGRAL DOOR PULL
Anti-ligature design ensures that no tie-off points exist for maximum safety in high priority units.

The Wedge SurfaceMax™: Stainless Steel Interlocking Cover

With its patented and patent-pending technology, the Wedge SurfaceMax was designed with additional features to counter common defeat methods on swinging doors, when the inmate is either inside the cell or during times when the inmate is outside the cell. The Wedge SurfaceMax will add Grade 1 lock security to existing hollow-metal doors and frames.

The SurfaceMax can be further upgraded with Willo’s patented LatchGuard™. An optional feature for the Wedge platform, the LatchGuard eliminates the latch bolt stuffing gap found in traditional Grade 1 Maximum Security locks

The Wedge SurfaceMax Key Features:

Interlocking cover
Combined with carriage bolt attachments and an astragal overlapping the covers, the patent-pending, tamper resistant design features an interlocking cover that will reduce tampering and prevent unauthorized access to the locking system components.

STAINLESS STEEL CONSTRUCTION
Available stainless-steel construction ensures the product remains free from rust and corrosion, even in humid environments or areas with frequent moisture exposure. This maintains the Wedge’s integrity and appearance over time, eliminating the need for painting.

IMPROVED LED LIGHT COMPONENTS
Superior LED projection is achieved with a single-piece light bracket and a rigid foam backer, which prevents liquid intrusion.

PATENTED VISUAL & AUDIBLE TAMPER ALARM
Notifies officers when the lock is being manipulated.

patented gripper
Prevents common defeat methods, such as carding or sheeting.

Patented double Offset Design
Prevents inmate access of latch bolt and roller bolt from inside the cell.

LOCAL INDICATION LED
Provides security status of each door.

HOLLOW BODY & CLEAN OUT PORT
Interferes with attempts to pack debris in the strike receiver.

The Wedge Slim™: A Semi-Recessed Wedge for New Construction

The Wedge Slim™ is the next innovation in the Willo Wedge product line. Built on the legacy of the industry-leading tamper-resistant locking system from Willo, the Wedge Slim is designed for new construction applications. Designed to enhance facility safety and improve security, it can minimize owner liability by securing doors against inmate tampering and abuse. The Wedge Slim is tailored to fit into standard wide-jamb hollow-metal lock pockets, with a slimmer profile than typical surface-mounted lock pockets.

For added security, it features the Gripper, which prevents “sheeting” attempts, a high-intensity LED for visible security status, and a magnetic door position switch that allows remote monitoring from the control room. The Wedge includes a fully enclosed housing that contains wiring and electrical components that connect to industry-standard control systems.

The Wedge Slim can be further upgraded with Willo’s patented LatchGuard™. An optional feature for the Wedge platform, the LatchGuard eliminates the latch bolt stuffing gap found in traditional Grade 1 Maximum Security locks

The Wedge Slim Key Features:

SLIM PROFILE DESIGN
Recessed into standard wide-jamb lock pockets, providing industry-leading, tamper-resistant features that outperform standard Grade 1 Maximum Security locks.

Latchguard
Patent-pending latch-bolt design eliminates gaps, preventing the stuffing of foreign material into the lock body commonly seen in other locks. (Optional Feature)

INTERLOCKING COVER
Patent-pending, tamper-resistant interlocking covers, carriage bolt attachments, and an astragal overlapping the covers reduce tampering and unauthorized access to the locking system components.

Patented Gripper
Patent-pending floating plate behind the lock cylinder tightens gaps that could be used to stuff material into the locking system.

high-intensity led light components
Quickly see the security status of each door with superior LED projection and a rigid foam backer, preventing liquid intrusion. This provides enhanced visibility of the tamper alarm.

STAINLESS STEEL CONSTRUCTION
Protects against rust and corrosion, maintaining the integrity and appearance over time, eliminating the need for painting.

tamper alarm
Patented Visual and Audible alarm notifies officers when a lock is tampered with and vulnerable to defeat.

THE GRIPPER
Patented raised metal encapsulation of latch and roller bolt grips material and reduces sheeting/carding.

DOUBLE OFFSET
Additional offset protects the lock bolt from resident access.

HOLLOW BODY & CLEAN OUT PORT
Access ports make it difficult for the prisoner to pack debris in the strike receiver.

Why is the Wedge Slim a must-have for new construction applications?

Willo’s newest innovation advances the traditional tamper-resistant features found in the original Willo Wedge, commonly used in renovation applications, and migrates them to the new construction environment.

Today, new prisons are built with the same wide-jamb, in-frame Grade 1 Maximum security locks that have been around for 30+ years. We know that these legacy designs exhibit vulnerabilities to safety and security of the staff and residents. Willo solved these issues with the introduction of the Wedge for renovation applications over a decade ago. The same security issues that generate the market demand for the Wedge in a retrofit application are the same reasons it applies in a new construction application. But rather than renovating, adding the tamper-resistant capabilities of the Wedge can now simply done at the time of construction.

When done at the time of construction, the Wedge Slim enables all stakeholders to take advantage of the existing construction process. In a typical renovation application, the existing DPS is abandoned in place, a new DPS is inserted into the Wedge, and the existing openings for the strike and door jamb are covered with cover plates. With the Wedge Slim, these steps are eliminated at the time of new construction. In addition, it’s designed to recess-mount inside the traditional lock prep, reducing the overall profile of the Wedge that would exist in an after-market application.

The Wedge Slim is uniquely engineered to apply to existing hollow metal manufacturers’ design without requiring changes to their traditional manufacturing process. The enables correctional facilities to capitalize on the patented tamper-resistant features to maximize security, while taking advantage of the new construction process, with a slimmer profile.

Why Choose The Wedge Platform Over Other Detention Locks?

Enhanced Security Features: Every Wedge incorporates advanced security features, including the Tamper Alarm, which provides visual and audible alarms, that are not typically found in traditional swinging door locks. These alarms immediately notify staff of any unauthorized attempts at tampering, providing an additional layer of security that goes beyond traditional locking mechanisms.
For Retrofit or New Construction: One of the significant advantages of the Willo Wedge is its ability to work in any project, whether it’s retrofitting into existing doors and frames or as a specified locking system in new construction. This offers a practical and cost-effective solution to upgrade security.
Reliability and Durability: The Wedge platform is designed to address and overcome common vulnerabilities found in traditional locks, such as susceptibility to sheeting, carding, and other abuse. Its construction and design ensure that once locked, it stays locked, providing a more reliable and durable solution.

Challenges in Detention Security:

Compromised Locks: Jails and detention centers often grapple with the reality of old, damaged, and easily defeated locks. This not only poses a direct threat to security but also undermines the integrity of the entire detention system.
Deferred Maintenance Costs: Ignoring the immediate need for upgrading locking systems can lead to escalated costs in the long run, including higher risks of incidents and the financial burden of emergency repairs and legal liabilities.
Inefficiency of Full Replacements: Traditional approaches to addressing lock vulnerabilities typically involve costly and time-consuming full door or lock replacements.
Lack of Innovation: The detention security industry has long been in need of innovative solutions that can adapt to and address the evolving security threats and challenges.

Read the Case Study

The Willo Wedge Solution:

Enhanced Security with Audible and Visual Alarms: The Wedge goes beyond merely locking doors by incorporating visual and audible alarms, alerting staff to any unauthorized access attempts or tampering.
Cost-Effective Retrofitting: Designed for efficiency and cost-effectiveness, the Willo Wedge can be retrofitted into existing doors, eliminating the need for expensive and disruptive full replacements.
Long-Term Investment: Investing in the Willo Wedge translates into long-term savings by reducing the need for frequent maintenance and replacements while also minimizing potential security breach costs.
Innovation at the Forefront: Willo stands as an innovator in detention security, with the Wedge representing the pinnacle of our commitment to developing advanced, reliable, and adaptable security solutions.

Contact Willo Products Today

Our corporate office is located at 714 Willo Industrial Drive, SE Decatur, AL 35601. Feel free to send us questions or request a quote about the swinging door lock and someone from our office will get back to you. Call us at 256-353-7161 or through our toll-free line at 1-800-633-3276.

You can also email our Parts & Services team at parts@willoproducts.com or our Sales & Renovation team at sales@willoproducts.com.

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