GE Quick Connect

This design modifies the chamber only, adding a ridge along the sides. The "stuffing boxes" slide in, with snap mounted rotating cams. Cams are detented in the retracted position to facilitate assembly. Once the brick is placed into chamber, the stuffing boxes slide along sides and snap into catches molded into the chamber. The cams are rotated down, snap into position, and energize the gasket with 35% compression on the neoprene gasket. The retention ridge and cam pins are designed to contain the 5.2kN hydrostatic force in the pressurized state. The -1bar "full vacuum" condition poses no issue to the design, as components are not subject to the vacuum loading. Problems exist; FEA exposes the borderline 1.2 factor of safety in and about the chamber sides. Gusseting the interior of the chamber only seems to make the stresses worse with little reduction in deflection. I suggest casting the chamber (stainless steel?), utilizing lost wax investment casting, a process that will provide a good surface finish and make this design better suited to the loading conditions. This was a great exercise provided by GE and it helped keep me busy for a while during this EXTREMELY COLD February in Buffalo, NY. Good luck to everyone!