Weft presenter mechanisms

Claim 1

A weft presenting mechanism for use on a loom, the mechanism comprising: (a) a plurality of fingers each having an eyelet to receive a weft thread and being pivotally mounted about a common axis for movement between an inoperative position and an operative position; (b) drive means pivotally mounted for movement about said common axis, said drive means comprising a pair of bellcrank levers, one mounted at each side of the plurality of fingers, so that the fingers are sandwiched therebetween, a first bar extending between one arm of each lever and a second bar extending between the other arm of each lever; (c) means connected to said second bar to impart rotary reciprocating motion to said bellcrank levers causing said first bar to repeatedly rock about said common axis, moving first in a driving direction and then back in a return direction; (d) a plurality of catches, one attached to each of the said fingers, each catch comprising a hook; and (e) control means selectively operable to move any desired hook into the path of the said first bar so that as the said first bar moves past the hook in its driving direction it catches on the hook and moves the hook and attached fingers with it, the rocking movement of the said first bar thus being imparted to the associated finger thereby causing the finger to move from its inoperative position to its operative position as the first bar moves in its driving direction and then back again to its inoperative position as the first bar moves in its return direction.