Oscillator system for controlling the frequency of an oscillator in predetermined increments

Claim 1

A FREQUENCY CONTROL SYSTEM COMPRISING AN OSCILLATOR HAVING FREQUENCY CONTROL MEANS, FREQUENCY DIVIDING MEANS FOR DIVIDING THE OUTPUT OF SAID OSCILLATOR, A REFERENCE OSCILLATOR, MEANS FOR COMPARING THE OUTPUTS OF SAID FREQUENCY DIVIDING MEANS AND REFERENCE OSCILLATOR TO PRODUCE A CONTROL SIGNAL, AND MEANS APPLYING SAID CONTROL SIGNAL TO SAID FREQUENCY CONTROL MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE FREQUENCY OF SAID FIRST MENTIONED OSCILLATOR, SAID FREQUENCY DIVIDING MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF CASCADE CONNECTED COUNTING STAGES, EACH SAID STAGE COMPRISING A FIRST COUNTER HAVING A FIXED COUNTING CYCLE, A SECOND COUNTER HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE COUNTING CYCLE, A SELECTIVE GATE MEANS CONNECTED TO HAVE A FIRST STABLE STAGE IN WHICH INPUT SIGNALS ARE APPLIED TO SAID FIRST COUNTER AND A SECOND STABLE STATE IN WHICH INPUT SIGNALS ARE APPLIED TO SAID SECOND COUNTER, MEANS APPLYING THE OUTPUT OF SAID SECOND COUNTER TO SAID SELECTIVE GATE MEANS FOR SETTING SAID GATE MEANS TO SAID FIRST STABLE STATE, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO AN OUTPUT PULSE FROM SAID DIVIDING MEANS FOR SETTING THE SELECTIVE GATE MEANS OF EACH COUNTING STAGE TO ITS SECOND STABLE STATE.