Sterilizer door assembly

A door assembly for a pressure/vacuum vessel such as a sterilizer or the like, for securely closing an opening in a doorway defined by a rectangular frame having therein spaced sockets for receiving locking members, comprising:

• a door adapted to fit in said doorway;
• a plurality of pairs of straight locking bars disposed in parallel array across said door;
• a rail assembly extending across said door perpendicular to said bars and supporting said bars at adjacent ends thereof;
• spring means yieldably engaging opposite end portions of said bars adjacent to opposite edges thereof;
• means for moving said rail assembly laterally away from and toward said door while said bars turn angularly and move axially for selectively engaging in and withdrawing from said sockets, comprising:
• at least one threaded post secured to said door and extending outwardly therefrom;
• a threaded means engaged on said post and carried by said rail assembly, so that said rail assembly moves toward and away from said door depending on the direction of rotation of said threaded means;
• and
• motor means operatively connected to and driving said threaded means.