Abstract: A multineedle automatic sewing machine has a needle holder which is vertically movable above a needle plate. The needle holder has needles which are supplied with upper threads unwinding from spools, and with shuttles which contains spools with lower threads. The shuttles are arranged on horizontally displacable shuttle holders below the needle plate. Each shuttle contains an electric circuit in which the shuttle, together with an associated contact plate, is arranged on the lower side of the needle plate, functioning as an electric switch so that the machine is switched off in the case of the breaking of one single lower thread.