Coaxial transmission line having an expandable and contractible bellows

A conductor comprising first and second elongated conductor sections made of conductive material and spaced axially from one another, an expandable and contractible bellows made of conductive material extending between and joined to adjacent ends of said conductor sections to permit relative expansion and contraction of said conductor sections, an axially rigid connector member disposed within said bellows, with one end portion of said connector member being telescoped with one end portion of said one conductor section, and means permitting said connector member to float axially relative to one of said conductor sections but only through a limited range thereby to limit expansion and compression of said bellows to said range, said means comprising a pin-and slot connection between the telescoped end portions of said connector member and said one conductor section, the slot of said connection receiving the pin of said connection, being axially elongated to permit axial floating of said connector member relative to said one conductor section, and having closed ends engageable with said pin to limit axial floating of said connector member relative to said one conductor section.

A coaxial transmission line comprising an elongated rigid tubular outer conductor, an elongated rigid inner conductor disposed within said outer conductor, said inner conductor being defined by first and second axially spaced sections, and means establishing an electrical connection between said first and second sections of said inner conductor while permitting said first and second sections to expand and contract lengthwise relative to one another and within said outer conductor, said means comprising first and second end fittings made of conductive material and attached rigidly to adjacent ends of said first and second inner conductor sections, respectively, an expandable and contractible bellows made of conductive material extending between and joined rigidly to said end fittings, an axially rigid connector member disposed within said bellows and extending between said end fittings, first and second means fastening the end portions of said connector member to said first and second end fittings, respectively, said second fastening means permitting said connector member to float axially relative to said second conductor section but only through a limited range thereby to limit expansion and contraction of said bellows to said range.