Weft selection and retention mechanism for shuttleless looms

摘要

A loom operating without a shuttle is provided with a weft selection mechanism and a weft retention mechanism with the former operating to select a weft thread and pass it through the sheds of the loom while the latter mechanism retains and holds the weft thread during loom operation. The weft selection mechanism includes a plurality of pivotable weft selector arms having a weft thread engaged at a first end thereof and an actuating mechanism oprating to drive a second end of the selector arms. A plurality of selector arms is provided with the first end of each of the arms passing through a common point during pivotal movement of the arms. The arms are pivotally mounted intermediate their first and second ends and a selector device is provided to selectively engage the second end of a particular arm with the actuating mechanism driving the arm through pivotal motion, thereby to effect selection of a weft thread. The retention mechanism includes a suction nozzle which engages a selected weft thread and holds the thread by operation of suction force with gripping threads actuated by a lever causing the weft threads to become engaged in the nozzle with the nozzle holding the weft threads while the gripping threads are released therefrom to engage other weft threads which are to be brought into nozzle engagement. The suction nozzle formed as part of the weft thread retention mechanism is transversely movable across the apparatus during operation thereof.