Gauge for detecting misalignment

A displacement gauge (3) comprising:

• an object (12) whose displacement is to be sensed;
• sensor means (21N, 24N, 27, etc.) positioned near said object and responsive to the position of said object relative to said sensor means, for sensing displacement of said object;
• said sensor means comprising a plurality of N transducer means (24N, etc.) positioned at spaced-apart directions from said object, each for providing a first signal (N-S from 45;
• E-W from 54) dependent upon the component vector of the object's displacement along a respective directional line;
• first processing means (48, 57) receiving said first signals for converting said first signals to respective signals magnitude signals (at 61, 62) representative of their magnitudes irrespective of the sign (north or south;
• east or west) of said respective component vector of displacement;
• means (51) receiving said magnitude signals for algebraically adding at least two of said magnitude signals in sums of at least two signals, and for weighting each by a predetermined factor for providing at least one composite signal (at 59);
• second processing means (60) for displacement-signal processing comprising a logic OR-function devide (64a) receiving said composite signal (at 59) and said individual magnitude signals (at 61, 62), for selecting the greatest of them as an indication of the magnitude of displacement of said object (12);
• whereby said sensor means (21N, etc.) senses the relative displacement of said object (12) with substantially equal sensitivity irrespective of its the object's direction of displacement.