Braiding machine with a reserve zone

A braiding machine comprising:

• a plurality of yarn feed spindles movable along of a main guide path so as to participate in the braiding,
• a reserve zone adjacent to the main guide path, situated around the main guide path and comprising at least one secondary guide path able to receive at least one spindle and to retain it in the reserve zone so that its participation in the braiding is interrupted, each secondary guide path being associated with at least one switching element which is movable between a first position preventing the communication between the main guide path and the secondary guide path, and a second position allowing this communication and configured to enable passage of at least one spindle between the main guide path and the secondary guide path, and
• a cutting device configured to cut a yarn coming from a feed spindle present in the reserve zone while the braiding operation continues.