Water tight door

A water tight door for an opening in a frame portion comprising a peripheral band portion, a plate like portion connected to the peripheral band portion, a plurality of stiffening members extending across said plate like portion, said door overlapping all sides of said opening, a plurality of hinges disposed on one side of said door attaching said door to said frame portion, a peripheral gasket retainer and a peripheral L shaped portion which cooperate to form a partially enclosed seal area, the peripheral gasket retainer being affixed to one of the door and frame portions adjacent the opening and the L shaped portion being affixed to the other;

• a gasket having two extensive margins one of said margins having a thick portion adjacent thereto, which is configured to fit and remain within said retainer, said other margin being tapered to a radius and disposed to seat adjacent the corner of said L shaped portion and a strip like portion extending at an angle from said thick portion to said tapered portion and toward the corner of said L shaped portion, when the door is being closed;
• a dogging mechanism comprising a plurality of lugs having a ramp portion and a plateau portion, a plurality of links pivoted mounted to cooperate with the lugs, a connecting bar pivotally connected to said links to form a parallel bar linkage, a roller rotatably connected to each of the links and disposed to engage the ramp portion of the cooperatively associated lug and roll thereon and onto the plateau portion of the lug as the links are pivoted by the connecting bar, an operating handle mounted for rotation with a link rigidly connected to said handle and an operating bar connecting the operating handle link to the connecting bar to move the parallel bar linkage when the handle is turned and force the door into a water tight closed position irrespective of which side of the door is subjected to the higher pressure.