Pile loop forming assembly

A pile loop forming assembly for a loom comprising a reed having a plurality of reed fingers spaced apart to define reed spaces inbetween adjacent pairs of said reed fingers, a plurality of loop forming lances, each lance extending through a respective reed space in order to divide the reed space into first and second longitudinal regions and to divide the first longitudinal region into a first warp yarn accommodating space and a second warp yarn accommodating space, heald means for normally retaining a loop forming warp yarn in said first longitudinal region during shed formation, the heald means being operable to move the loop forming warp yarn from said first longitudinal region to the second longitudinal region so as to move said yarn out of said first or second warp yarn accommodating space, deflection means operatively connected to each lance for laterally deflecting the lance toward one or other of the reed fingers defining the reed space through which the lance passes, such that the lance resides at first and second lateral positions respectively, the lance when at said first lateral position co-operating with said one reed finger to deflect said loop forming yarn into said first warp yarn accommodating space when moving from said second longitudinal space and into said first longitudinal space and when at said second lateral position co-operating with said other reed finger to deflect said loop forming yarn into said second warp yarn accommodating space.