Phase shifting stripline directional coupling networks

Claim 1

A DIRECTIONAL COUPLER NETWORK SYSTEM COMPRISING A FIRST SET OF SUCCESSIVE CENTER CONDUCTORS IN THE FORM OF FLAT STRIPLINES OCCUPYING A FIRST PLANE, SAID FIRST SET INCLUDING PRESELECTED CENTER CONDUCTORS HAVING BENDS THEREIN FOR LENGTHENING PURPOSES TO PRODUCE VARIOUS PHASE SHIFTS, EACH OF SAID FLAT STRIPS HAVING INPUT AND LOAD TERMINALS, EACH OF SAID INPUT TERMINALS BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE RADIO FREQUENCY ENERGY TO BE COUPLED, A SECOND SET OF SUCCESSSIVE CENTER CONDUCTORS ALSO IN THE FORM OF FLAT STRIPLINES, EACH HAVING OUTPUT AND LOAD TERMINALS AND ALSO HAVING A PRESELECTED PORTION COINCIDENT WITH EACH OF SAID STRIPLINES OF SAID FIRST SET, EACH OF SAID PORTIONS BEING ODD MULTIPLES OF ONE-QUARTER GUIDE WAVELENGTH LONG AND FORMED BY BENDING SAID STRIPLINE AT 90* AT TWO PRESELECTED POINTS IN THE PLANE THEREOF, MEANS TO POSITION SAID FIRST SET A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM SAID SECOND SET WITH EACH OF SAID PORTIONS BEING ABOVE AND PARALLEL TO ITS ASSOCIATED STRIPLINE OF SAID FIRST SET, SAID PREDETERMINED POSITIONING OPERATING TO COUPLE SAID RADIO FREQUENCY ENERGY FROM SAID FIRST SET TO SAID SECOND SET IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION TO PROVIDE SIGNALS AT ALL OF SAID OUTPUT TERMINALS WITH ANY ONE OF SAID INPUT TERMINALS RECEIVING SAID RADIO FREQUENCY ENERGY AND ALSO PROVIDING A CHANGE OF RELATIVE PHASE SHIFT BETWEEN THE SIGNALS APPEARING AT THE SUCCESSIVE OUTPUT TERMINALS BY CONNECTING THE SOURCE OF SAID RADIO FREQUENCY ENERGY TO A DIFFERENT INPUT TERMINAL, AND A FIRST AND SECOND GROUND PLANE WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND SETS BEING INTERPOSED THEREBETWEEN.