Ship's door or hatch arrangement

Arrangement for sealing, from intrusion of water, an opening on a ship for navigation in heavy seas having a door member, said arrangement comprising:

• frame means for being disposed about a peripheral portion of said opening and for being attached to said ship, said frame means defining a plane;
• means for permitting movement of said door member away from said frame means at least initially, substantially, perpendicularly from said plane of said frame means;
• said door member for fitting within said frame means and for opening to allow passage through said frame means and for closing to prevent passage through said frame means, said door member and said frame means having a space therebetween;
• a first sealing means for sealing substantially statically said space between said door member and said frame means when said door member is closed against intrusion of water within a first predetermined pressure range;
• a second sealing means having a portion for sealing substantially dynamically said space between said frame means and said door member when said door member is closed against said intrusion of water;
• said substantially dynamic, second sealing means having means for dynamically extending said portion to seal said space between said frame means and said door member and holding said door member tightly within said frame means to withstand said intrusion of water and substantially prevent leakage of water within a second predetermined pressure range including pressures produced by heavy seas and for dynamically retracting said portion;
• said second predetermined pressure range having at least a portion thereof greater than a maximum portion of said first predetermined pressure range;
• said means for dynamically extending and retracting having means for extending and retracting when acted upon by a fluid pressure medium;
• said first, static, sealing means being independent of and sealing independently of said second, dynamic, sealing means;
• said first, static, seal means being disposed between said frame means and said door member to protect said second, dynamic, seal means from spray water at least when said second, dynamic, seal means is retracted and not extended;
• said door member having door handle means for assisting in opening and closing of said door member, said door member and frame means having latching means for latching said door member in said frame means and for preventing said door member from opening when latched;
• and
• said means for extending and for retracting said portion of said substantially dynamic, second sealing means for sealing said space between said frame means and said door member for connection to means for selectively controlling said extending and retracting means, said means for selectively controlling said extending and retracting means having means for actuating being separate from said door handle means and said latching means, said means for selectively controlling being for independently and optionally actuating said second, dynamic, sealing means, whereby water in said second predetermined pressure range, including water from pressures produced by heavy seas, is substantially sealed out and said intrusion of water is minimized.