A device for cutting off weft yarn (27) during successive weaving cycles, comprising a cutting element (1) and a rotatable detaining element (2c), (13) which is forced to a detaining position by a spring force in order to detain the yarn and can rotate, under the influence of a tensile force exerted by a rapier on the detained yarn, counter to the spring force to a non-detaining position in which the yarn can be moved further towards the cutting element (1) in order to be cut. Such a device is efficient and can be made to be more reliable and more compact than existing devices. The invention also relates to a weaving loom provided with such a device.

A device for cutting off weft yarn (27) during successive weaving cycles, comprising a cutting element (1) and a rotatable detaining element (2c), (13) which is forced to a detaining position by a spring force in order to detain the yarn and can rotate, under the influence of a tensile force exerted by a rapier on the detained yarn, counter to the spring force to a non-detaining position in which the yarn can be moved further towards the cutting element (1) in order to be cut. Such a device is efficient and can be made to be more reliable and more compact than existing devices. The invention also relates to a weaving loom provided with such a device.