Arrangement for the control of weft introduced into looms

Claim 1

In an arrangement for controlling the introduction of a weft thread from a picking comb composed of a system of plates into a shed in a loom, the plates of the picking comb each having a picking opening and a slot for the removal of the weft thread, the arrangement comprising a control plate having opposed arms defining a picking opening and a fixed slot for the removal of the weft, the fixed slot communicating with the picking opening in the control plate, the control plate substantially corresponding in shape to the shape of the plates of the picking comb for insertion at a desired point of the comb, a light source and a photocell individually disposed in aligned spaced relation at opposite sides of the fixed slot adjacent the picking space of the control plate, the fixed slot being narrowed to a dimension substantially equal to the diameter of the weft thread at the location of the respective light source and photocell, the improvement wherein at least one of the light source and photocell projects into the fixed slot, whereby an exit of the weft thread through the fixed slot exerts a positive wiping action on the said one of the light source and photocell which projects into the fixed slot.