Abstract: Various forms of hydraulic cylinders having axial bores formed in their piston rods, and probes projecting axially from the closed end of the cylinder body with two spaced coils thereon are disclosed. The coils are connected into external circuitry which responds to change in inductance of either coil whereby to generate a reference signal upon the occurrence of preselected changing conditions of inductance of either coil caused by movement of that coil into or out of mutual induction with a shorted turn arrangement formed by or carried by the piston. The coils may be the drive coils of a displacement transducer arranged to indicate either end of the stroke of the piston. Alternatively either a supplementary shorted turn or an additional drive coil may be provided to generate an intermediate stroke reference signal. The reference signals may be used in operation of a system for effecting automatic continuous reciprocation of the piston.

Abstract: A displacement transducer operable to measure relative displacement between two parts. The transducer comprises a shorted turn induction coil arrangement on one of the parts and, on the other part, a coaxial assembly of two drive coils separated by an output induction coil comprising two coils in quadrature, the drive coils and the output induction coil being inductively linked with the shorted turn arrangement which may be two or more shorted coils end to end. The transducer is suitable for measuring displacement of a piston rod relative to its cylinder. The stroke and the bearing support of the piston rod may be such that either drive coil can project beyond the adjacent end of the intermediate induction coil arrangement at either end of the stroke. The consequent changing impedance of the drive coils can be used to set a datum for displacement measurement and/or control an electrically modulated control valve which controls operation of the cylinder.