Continuous gap measurement

A method of measuring a gap, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) inserting at least a portion of a variable inductor into a gap, the variable inductor having an indicator, the indicator comprises a tube communicably coupled to a bulb containing a ferrofluid, the variable inductor connected to a capacitor forming an electric circuit having an inductance, the gap having a gap measurement and a gap length, the gap measurement related to the inductance;
• (b) moving the variable inductor along the gap length causing the inductance to change in response to the gap measurement, the bulb configured to adjust in size in response to the gap measurement, the bulb's adjustment in size causing the ferrofluid to move within the tube whereby the inductance of the circuit changes in correlation with the gap measurement;
• and
• (c) receiving the inductance in a data processing unit whereby the data processing unit produces the gap measurement.

A continuous gap measurement device comprising:

• a circuit having a variable inductor and a capacitor, the circuit having an inductance, the variable inductor having an indicator;
• a gap comprising a gap measurement and a gap length, the gap measurement related to the inductance, the gap configured to receive at least a portion of the variable inductor while the variable inductor moves along the gap length, the movement along the gap length causing the inductance to change in response to the gap measurement;
• and
• the indicator comprises a spring, the spring configured to adjust in size in response to the gap measurement, the spring's adjustment in size causes the inductance of the circuit to change in correlation with the gap measurement.