Patent ID: 7441567

Claim:
A needle loom with automatic change of the weft thread, comprising: a bearing structure ( 2 ); at least one textile-product (P) forming head ( 3 ) installed on the bearing structure ( 2 ), said head ( 3 ) having a bearing plate ( 4 ) for formation of the textile product (P); at least two heddle frames ( 6 ) for intercepting a plurality of warp threads (O) fed to the bearing plate( 4 ); at least one sickle ( 9 ) to bring at least two weft threads (T) transversely between said warp threads (O); at least two movable guides ( 11 ) each of which is adapted to guide one of the weft threads (T) supplied to the sickle ( 9 ); actuator means ( 13 ) to move said at least two movable guides ( 11 ) along a predetermined direction (D) and change the weft threads (T) carried by the sickle ( 9 ); at least one needle ( 18 ) to temporarily retain at least one of said at least two weft threads (T) carried by the sickle ( 9 ); and a reed ( 20 ) movable between a release position and a compacting position, to compact the weft threads (T) against the already formed textile product (P); wherein the actuator means ( 13 ) comprises at least two electric motors ( 21 ), each of which is connected to a respective guide ( 11 ), and motion-transmitting means ( 24 ) interposed between each electric motor ( 21 ) and the respective movable guide;( 11 ) wherein each motor ( 21 ) pulls or pushes the respective guide ( 11 ) downwards and pulls or pushes the respective guide ( 11 ) upwards, to actively move the respective guide ( 11 ) in a first way (X) along the predetermined direction (D), upon command of the respective motor ( 21 ) and actively move the respective guide ( 11 ) in a second way (Y) along said predetermined direction (D), upon command of said motor ( 21 ).