Abstract: Prewound coils are axially drawn into grooves of stators or rotors of electric machines. This is performed by means of a draw-in star, which can be pushed forward through their bores, behind which cover strips (16), made of insulated material, are pushed into the grooves (12) in front of their opening slits in the course of the draw-in process. To prevent the cover strips (16) from being partially pulled out of the grooves (12) when the draw-in star (28) is pulled back, it is provided that the cover strips (16) are supported against a retrograde movement during a defined first section of the return movement of the draw-in star (28), for example in that the pushers remain in their pushed-forward position during the first phase of the return movement of the draw-in star (28).