Datasheet

IDUINO for Makers life
As you can see, the angular position of the A terminal and the B terminal is such
that:
Rotating the switch clockwise will cause the switch connecting A and
C to change states first.
Rotating the switch counterclockwise will cause the switch
connecting B and C to change states first.
If we were to represent the opening an closing of the switches as wave forms,
it would look something like this.
Essentially, determining which switch changed states first is how the direction
of rotation is determined.
If A changed states first, the switch is rotating in a clockwise direction.
If B changed states first, the switch is rotating in a counter clockwise direction.