Abstract: In an electric timepiece an electric motor continuously rotates a disk carrying an eccentric pin that is engageable inside a heart-shaped opening formed in an actuating member carrying a pair of pallet pins engageable with and between the teeth on opposite sides of an escape wheel. This member is carried on a pair of spring-steel arms integrally formed with the actuating member and serving to urge the member into one end position. An abutment formed on the member is engageable against the periphery of the drive disk to prevent accidental stepping of the escape wheel except when the eccentric pin engages the cam and a notch formed on the disk aligns with this abutment.