Abstract: An apparatus for guiding can bodies in a laser welding machine is described. The apparatus comprises a water-cooled holding-down shoe (22) with an integrated holding-down roller (24), gas supply (64) and suction extraction (68), the holding-down roller (24) being disposed in front of the theoretical point of intersection of the two edges of the body to be butt-welded and being adjustable in height, with the holding-down shoe (22), to the thickness of the sheet metal. Adjacent to the holding-down shoe (22) is a holding-up shoe (26) and adjacent to the holding-down roller (24) is a holding-up roller (28). Provided below the holding-up shoe (26) is a horizontally and vertically adjustable supporting roller (30) which supports the can bodies at their underside during the welding operation and during passage through the welding plane (10).