Device for switching between linear and circular polarization using rotation in an axis across a square waveguide

Claim 1

A microwave phase shifting device comprising: a metal waveguide means having a longitudinal axis, said waveguide means comprising a hollow elongated conductive enclosure, said waveguide means operable to transmit a high frequency microwave signal of either circular or linear polarization, a shaft means passing through said waveguide wall, said shaft means perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said waveguide and said shaft means is of sufficient length to be accessible from outside of said waveguide and said shaft means is operable to rotate in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction while extended into said waveguide rotatable about an axis transverse to said longitudinal axis of said waveguide; a slab of dielectric material having a predetermined dielectric constant and predetermined length, said slab operable to permit said shaft to attach to, and support said slab of dielectric material, said slab further operable to rotate laterally upon said shaft means within said waveguide means perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said waveguide means and via said lateral rotation of said dielectric slab means achieves a differential phase shift of the orthogonal fields of said microwave signal, and; a shaft rotation means located outside of said waveguide means connected to said shaft means and operable to achieve the clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of said shaft means and ultimately the lateral rotation of said dielectric means achieving a differential phase shift of said microwave signal.