A loom cloth roller drive mechanism includes a friction drive, transmitting drive from a driving shaft to said cloth roller, and weighing means whereby an increase in the weight of said cloth roller causes the load on said friction device to increase and therefore maintains a more even tension in the cloth as it is being wound on said cloth roller. The weight of said cloth roller supported on freely rotatable rollers causes the lever to pivot on a fixed point, said levertransmitting movement to the driven member of the clutch. so as to apply a load on said clutch.