Abstract: An automatic bobbin-changing device (10) for a winding machine with a vertical winding axis, the device having a bobbin carrier (12) which can rotate about a vertical axis (13) and which can adopt two bobbin-holding positions staggered at an angle of about 180.degree.. The bobbin carrier (12) has a total of four gripper arms (25, 26, 27, 28) which work together in pairs to grip a bobbin (1, 2). On each gripper arm (25, 26, 27, 28) is a bobbin-support surface (29) which, during the bobbin-changing operation, is positioned under the bobbin lower-flange (1b, 2b). The bobbin is changed by lifting the bobbin carrier (12) by means of a lifting mechanism (52, 54, 55) in such a way that the bobbin (1) on the winding machine is lifted off its mounting, the bobbin carrier (12) subsequently being rotated through 180.degree. and lowered again.