Polarized signal receiver probe

Claim 1

A polarized signal receiver comprising a first waveguide of circular cross-section for receiving polarized electromagnetic signals applied to an open end thereof, said first waveguide having an axis of symmetry and another end closed by a rear wall, a second waveguide for transmitting polarized signals, said second waveguide having an axis of symmetry and said first and second waveguides being disposed with their axes of symmetry at a substantially 90° angle, a dielectric rod mounted through the rear wall of said first waveguide, said dielectric rod being rotatable around an axis of rotation aligned with the axis of symmetry of said first waveguide, a signal transferring probe fixedly mounted in said dielectric rod for rotation thereby about the axis of rotation thereof, said signal transferring probe comprising a receiver probe portion disposed in said first waveguide in a plane orthogonal to the axis of symmetry of said first waveguide for receiving one of the polarized signals in said first waveguide, a signal launch probe portion extending into the second waveguide substantially perpendicular to the axis of symmetry of said second waveguide, said signal launch probe portion being disposed concentric within said dielectric rod, and a transmission line portion connecting said signal receiver probe portion to said signal launch probe portion, said transmission line portion having two integral oppositely directed and symmetrical generally U-shaped branch portions forming a rectangle disposed in said first waveguide in a single plane along the axis of symmetry of said first waveguide and perpendicular to the plane in which said signal receiver probe portion is disposed, and means for controllably rotating said dielectric rod and said signal transferring probe for transferring a selected one of said polarized signals from said first waveguide to said second waveguide at a peak of signal amplitude in said second waveguide.