Induction meter having magneticallysupported rotor

Claim 1

IN AN INDUCTION METER, A STATOR UNIT, A ROTOR UNIT, AND MEANS MOUNTING THE ROTOR UNIT FOR CONTINUOUS ROTATION RELATIVE TO THE STATOR UNIT ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, SAID ROTOR UNIT COMPRISING A SHAFT CONCENTRIC WITH SAID AXIS AND AN ELECTROCONDUCTIVE ARMATURE DISC MOUNTED CONCENTRICALLY ON SAID SHAFT, SAID STATOR UNIT INCLUDING MEANS EFFECTIVE WHEN ENERGIZED FROM AN ALTERNATING CIRCUIT FOR PRODUCING A SHIFTING MAGNETIC FIELD WITHIN WHICH A PORTION OF SAID DISC IS LOCATED TO DEVELOP A TORQUE ACTING BETWEEN SAID ROTOR AND STATOR UNITS ABOUT SAID AXIS FOR ROTATING THE ROTOR UNIT RELATIVE TO THE STATOR UNIT, SAID MOUNTING MEANS COMPRISING A FIRST MAGNET HAVING A HORIZONTAL FIRST LOWER POLAR AREA SYMMETRIC RELATIVE TO THE AXIS AND SECURED TO THE ROTOR UNIT FOR ROTATION THEREWITH, A SECOND MAGNET HAVING A HORIZONTAL SECOND UPPER POLAR AREA SYMMETRIC RELATIVE TO THE AXIS AND SECURED TO SAID STATOR UNIT BELOW THE FIRST MAGNET, SAID POLAR AREAS BEING SPACED BY A VERTICAL AIR GAP, SAID TWO MAGNETS BEING FERRITE PERMANENT MAGNETS POSITIONED BELOW SAID DISC AND MAGNETICALLY ORIENTED IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TO THE AXIS TO PRESENT THE SAME POLARITY ON SAID TWO POLAR AREAS, WHEREBY A MAGNETIC FORCE ACTS IN A DIRECTION PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE ROTOR UNIT, SAID MAGNETS PROVIDING THE ONLY FORCE ACTING VERTICALLY BETWEEN THE MOTOR UNIT AND THE STATOR UNIT TO POSITION THE ROTOR UNIT VERTICALLY RELATIVE TO THE STATOR UNIT.