Abstract: A sewing machine with a guiding device for the automatic sewing of a curved seam parallel to the edge. Provided are an edge guide ruler and a device with a first setting means to raise and lower a pressure pad disposed at a lateral distance from the needle and exerting a braking force on the workpiece and effecting, in interaction with the material feeder, the workpiece alignment motion. For more precise control the pressure pad is movable transverse to the workpiece direction by a second setting means to vary its lateral distance from the needle, and the setting means is controllable as a function of predeterminable part sections of the entire seam. This makes it possible to cause the pressure pad to contact the workpiece in the respective center of rotation of outside curves.

Abstract: A belt loop sewing apparatus including a stitching machine having a stitching station and shiftable clamps for moving a belt loop in the stitching station between two stitching positions, and a loading apparatus. The loading apparatus includes a pair of turning finger members mounted at the end of a pair of longitudinally reciprocable turning rods adapted to receive and carry a belt loop strip from the loading position to the stitching station. The turning rods are mounted in a pair of spiral cam devices capable of causing the rods to rotate through approximately 270.degree. to turn the ends of the belt loop strip and deliver it to the stitching station, in a single, continuous operation.

Abstract: A positioning device for advancing a workpiece to and orienting the same in the sewing zone of a sewing unit. The device includes a feed table having a plurality of slots upstream of the sewing zone which are disposed at an angle relative to the line of sewing. A driven endless belt is operatively associated with each slot in the feed table and are disposed so as to partially protrude their respective slot. That portion of the endless belts protruding through their respective slots are caused to engage the underside of a workpiece and are effective in advancing the same to a position in front of the sewing machine's presser foot and in close proximity with a vertical guide wall extending parallel to the line of sewing.