Assembly for sealing and pressure equalization of a submersible housing

Claim 1

An assembly for sealing and pressure equalization of a submersible, fluid-filled device, said assembly comprising: a housing with a generally circular cylindrical wall defining an open end; a sheet metal retaining member including a cylindrical band portion having a circular cylindrical shape complementary to the shape of the housing end wall; an imperforate, generally cup-shaped diaphragm having an end wall and having a circular cylindrical side wall complementary in shape to said band portion; said housing wall and said band member defining a circular cylindrical annular space therebetween; the side wall of said diaphragm sandwiched in said space between said band member and said housing wall and pressed into sealing engagement with said housing wall by said band member; recess means defined in a circle circumscribing said housing wall spaced from the open end of the housing wall; a plurality of locking tabs integral with said sheet metal retaining member and disposed in a circular array on said band portion; said tabs sloping and extending radially outwardly from said band; said tabs bein resiliently compressed inwardly upon insertion of said retaining member into the housing, and expanding into said recess means to prevent withdrawal of said retaining member from the housing; and lip means defined on the edge of said band portion engageable with the edge of the open end of the housing; the axial distance from said lip means to said tabs being substantially equal to the axial distance from said recess means to said housing edge.