Weaving method, weft selector for implementing such a method and weaving loom incorporating such a weft selector

A method for weaving a fabric with warp yarns and in-woven weft yarns on a weaving loom which comprises:

• heddles for moving the warp yarns in order to form a shed;
• a shed forming mechanism for moving the heddles;
• weft bobbins which provide weft yarns to the loom;
• a weft insertion mechanism, for drawing-in a weft yarn from a pick-up position into the shed, along a weft insertion axis and in a forward direction, the weft insertion mechanism including a gripper openable at the pick-up position;
• a weft selector including a movable carriage, the movable carriage defines two planes offset along the weft insertion axis namely a forward plane and a backward plane, said weft selector which defines several selectable distribution channels parallel to the weft insertion axis, each selectable distribution channel including a forward guiding member, for guiding a weft yarn toward the gripper, and a clamp;
• this method including at least the following steps:
• a) opening the gripper;
• b) positioning a movable carriage of the weft selector, by a aligning a selected distribution channel on the weft insertion axis, so that the gripper is aligned with a selected weft yarn;
• c) clamping the weft yarn in the selected distribution channel, with the clamp of this channel;
• d) moving the weft yarn along the selected distribution channel toward the gripper, while the gripper is opened, by moving the clamp along the selected distribution channel;
• e) catching the selected weft yarn with the gripper at the pick-up position;
• f) drawing-in the weft yarn with the weft insertion mechanism, from the pick-up position into the shed, along the weft insertion axis and in the forward direction;
• and
• g) cutting the weft yarn.