STABILIZER FOR REFLECTOR OF A POLE-MOUNTED ANTENNA

• US 3,605,105 A
• Filed: 10/17/1969
• Issued: 09/14/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arno A. Penzias
• Original Assignee: Arno A. Penzias
• Inventors: Penzias, Arno A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieberman, Eli
• Application Number:
  US04/867,181
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 343/DIG.2,880,839,882,890 182/1,2 52/40,301,649
• US Class Current: 343/839
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 12/24 Cross arms
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/005 Damping of vibrations; Means for reducing wind-induced forces
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 19/104 using a substantially flat reflector for deflecting the radiated beam, e.g. periscopic antennas periscopic fed Cassegrain antennas H01Q19/191; passive relays H04B7/145
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 343/02 Satellite-mounted antenna

Abstract

A pole-mounted directional microwave antenna having a plane reflector is disclosed. The antenna package mounted atop the pole contains a reflector which is rotatable in elevation angle providing control of the direction of the axis of propagation. A flexible belt within the pole is run between pivots at the top and bottom of the pole so that deflection of the pole in a plane containing the axis of propagation varies the separation between the pivots and affects movement of the belt. This movement is translated by a mechanical linkage to rotation of the reflector so that the resultant axis of propagation remains parallel to its undeflected orientation, thus automatically compensating for wind-induced pole sway in the direction of propagation. In addition, the elevation angle of the reflector can be set by moving the belt from the ground.

Claims

1. An antenna-mounting structure for constraining the beam axis of a directional antenna to parallel lines comprising, antenna means for coupling with electromagnetic radiation along said beam axis whose orientation is controlled by the orientation of a surface, a support member rigidly fixed at one end to a foundation, means for rotatably connecting the other end of said support member to said surface, flexible connecting means fixed at a point relative to said foundation and mechanically linked to said surface, means for guiding said connecting means so that two portions of said connecting means, both extending from the mechanical linkage at said surface to said fixed point, lie substantially in a deflection plane containing said beam axis and cross each other at least once such that deflection of said support member in said deflection plane causes the relative lengths of the two portions of said connecting means to vary whereby said surface rotates about an axis perpendicular to said deflection plane to control the elevation angle of said beam axis.

2. An antenna-mounting structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said surface is a plane reflector rotatably mounted such that the orientation of said reflector controls the elevation angle of said beam axis.

3. An antenna-mounting structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said surface is fixed to a rotatable sprocket and wherein said connecting means is a continuous flexible belt mechanically interacting with said sprocket.

4. An antenna structure as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for maintaining said connecting means taut under all conditions of deflection.

5. An antenna structure for stabilizing the elevation angles of a plurality of directional antennas comprising, a plurality of substantially similar structures as claimed in claim 1, wherein a single support member is common to each of said structures and each of said structures is oriented to have a deflection plane distinct from each of the planes of the other of said plurality of structures.

6. An antenna-mounting structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said support member is a hollow pole and said surface, said connecting means and said guiding means are located within said pole.

7. An antenna-mounting structure as claimed in claim 6 wherein said connecting means is a flexible belt mechanically linked to said surface and each of said two portions are guided by one of two pivots located at opposite points on a cross-sectional diameter at the top of said pole and respectively by an opposing one of two pivots located at opposite points on a parallel diameter at the bottom of said pole.

8. An antenna-mounting structure for constraining the beam axis of a directional antenna to parallel lines comprising, antenna means for coupling with electromagnetic radiation along said beam axis whose orientation is controlled by the orientation of a plane reflector, a hollow pole rigidly fixed at one end to a foundation, means for rotatably connecting the other end of said pole to said reflector, a flexible belt within said hollow pole fixed at one point relative to said foundation and mechanically linked to said reflector, means for guiding said belt the length of said pole so that said belt lies substantially in a deflection plane containing said beam axis and extends downward from the mechanical linkage at said reflector to a first of two pivots at said foundation, around said first and a second of said two pivots, upward across the downward portion of the belt to the mechanical linkage at said reflector, and means for clamping said belt between said first and second pivots to prevent its motion relative to said foundation.

9. An antenna-mounting structure as claimed in claim 8 wherein deflection of said pole causes the relative lengths of said upward and downward portions of said belt to vary causing rotation of said reflector.