Thermal expansion compensation assemblies

A manifold compensation assembly for thermal compensation of a manifold enclosing a rectangular waveguide, having thin and compliant narrow walls and rigid broad walls, said manifold compensation assembly comprising:

• (a) first and second lever elements, each having a first pivot point at one end, a second pivot point at the other end and a third pivot point positioned in between the two ends, where the first lever element is pivotally coupled at the first pivot point to the manifold on one of the narrow walls and the second lever element is pivotally coupled at the first pivot point on the opposite narrow wall;
• (b) at least one anchoring element pivotally coupled between the first and second lever elements at the second pivot points of said first and second lever elements such that the at least one anchoring element is secured to a rigid broad wall;
• and
• (c) a thermal expansion element having a coefficient of thermal expansion that is less than that of the manifold assembly, said thermal expansion element being pivotally coupled between the first and second lever elements at the third pivot points of said first and second lever elements;
• (d) such that the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the thermal expansion element and the manifold assembly causes the first and second lever elements to articulate and to displace the narrow wall of the manifold to achieve thermal compensation and wherein the degree of displacement of the narrow walls caused by each of the first and second lever elements is proportional to the ratio between the distance between the second and first pivot points and the distance between the second and the third pivot points.