Abstract: A sewing or embroidery machine, comprising a needle, a gripper and a workpiece advancing device with at least one driven advancing element. Said advancing device has a linear drive for driving the advancing element. The linear drive has two armatures which can be driven in different directions. A control device with a control circuit for the horizontal movements and a control circuit for the vertical movements of the advancing element is allocated to the advancing device and both control circuits are subordinate to a main control device comprising a data processing device. Said main control device receives synchronization impulses from an encoder according to the current position of the needle or the gripper. The actual values of the horizontal and/or vertical movements of the advancing element can be supplied to the main control device at option.

Abstract: Processor arrangement for sewing apparatus for the operational control of at least one sewing device, including accessories, and for regulating the rotational speed of a positioning drive mechanism which drives the sewing device. The operating control characteristics as well as the rotational speed control characteristics are predeterminable and modifiable by digital programming signals of a programmer.