Frequency-adjustable tuning fork type vibrator for an electrically energized timepiece

Claim 1

IN A TIMEPIECE HAVING A TIMEPIECE MECHANISM AND PROVIDED WITH A TUNING-FORK TYPE VIBRATOR HAVING A PAIR OF TINES EACH OF WHICH IS CAPABLE OF OSCILLATING ABOUT ITS OWN AXIS OF OSCILLATION, SAID VIBRATOR BEING OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE TIMEPIECE MECHANISM FOR DRIVING THE SAME AT A RATE PROPORTIONAL TO THE NATURAL FREQUENCY OF OSCILLATION OF SAID VIBRATOR AND A PAIR OF OSCILLATING COMPONENTS CARRIED BY SAID TINES AT THE RESPECTIVE FREE ENDS THEREOF AND FIXEDLY SECURED THERETO; REGULATING MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH AT LEAST ONE OF SAID COMPONENTS FOR VARYING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE CENTER OF GRAVITY THEREOF AND THE AXIS OF OSCILLATION OF THE RESPECTIVE TINE CARRYING SAID ONE COMPONENT, SAID REGULATING MEANS INCLUDING A DEFORMABLE ELEMENT ATTACHED TO SAID ONE COMPONENT AND FORMING PART THEREOF, SAID ELEMENT BEING CAPABLE OF BEING MANUALLY BENT TO ASSUME DIFFERENT CONFIGURATIONS WHEREIN THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF THE COMBINED MASS CONSTITUTED BY SAID ONE COMPONENT AND SAID ELEMENT THEREOF IS SPACED DIFFERENT DISTANCES FROM SAID AXIS OF OSCILLATION OF SAID RESPECTIVE TINE, WHEREBY THE NATURAL FREQUENCY OF SAID RESPECTIVE TINE AND CONSEQUENTLY THE NATURAL FREQUENCY OF SAID VIBRATOR MAY BE VARIED SO THAT THE RATE AT WHICH THE TIMEPIECE MECHANISM IS DRIVEN MAY BE REGULATED.