Magnetic shaft encoder with relatively moving toothed members

Claim 1

A SHAFT POSITION FOR DETECTING THE RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN A STATIONARY MEMBER AND A SHAFT MEMBER COMPRISING: AN ANNULAR CUP-SHAPED ROTOR MEMBER OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL SECURED TO SAID SHAFT, SAID ANNULAR CUPSHAPED ROTOR MEMBER INCLUDING INWARDLY EXTENDING AND EVENLY SPACED TOOTHED MEMBERS FORMED ON THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID ROTOR; SAID STATIONARY MEMBER INCLUDING A PAIR OF PARALLEL DISCS OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL CONCENTRICALLY POSITIONED WITHIN SAID ANNULAR CUP-SHAPED ROTOR MEMBER WITH TOOTHED MEMBERS FORMED AROUNDS THE PERIPHERY OF EACH OF SAID DISCS, SAID DISC TOOTHED MEMBERS HAVING SPACING COMPLEMENTARY TO THE SPACING OF SAID ROTOR TOOTHED MEMBERS AND AN OPPOSINGLY SPACED APART POSITION FROM THE TOOTHED MEMBERS OF SAID ROTOR TO PROVIDE A VAIRABLE AIR GAP SPACING THEREBETWEEN; AN ELONGATED MAGNET MEANS POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID DISCS HAVING END POLES OF LIKE POLARITY POSITIONED ADJACENT THE PERIPHERY OF THE DICS AND A CENTER POLE OF OPPOSITE POLARITY TO PRODUCE A MAGNETIC FLUX THROUGH A PAIR OF PARALLEL MAGNETIC CIRCUITS WHEREIN EACH CIRCUIT INCLUDES SAID ROTOR TOOTHED MEMBERS, THE TOOTHED MEMBERS OF ONE OF SAID DISCS AND THE AIR GAP THEREBETWEEN; A PLURALITY HALL EFFECT MAGNETIC DETECTORS WITH CONSTANT INPUT CURRENTS COUPLED TO SAID MAGNETIC CIRCUITS BETWEEN EACH OF SAID DISCS AND SAID CENTER MAGNETIC POLE, EACH OF SAID HALL EFFECT DETECTORS PRODUCING AN ELECTRICAL PULSE WHEN THE MAGNETIC FLUX OF SAID MAGNETIC CIRCUITS ARE VARIED BY THE MOVEMENT OF SAID ROTOR MEMBER SO THAT ONE OF SAID ROTOR TEETH REPLACES THE SAME OPPOSING POSITION OF AN ADJACENT ROTOR TOOTH RELATIVE TO ONE OF SAID DISC TOOTHED MEMBERS.