Abstract: An automatic apparatus for forming ring-shaped articles from an elongated plait or strip of textile material comprises roll means for continuously feeding the material to a cutting means, such as a shear, and to a folding means. The latter, adapted to fold a cut section of textile material in two portions of the same length comprises a blade reciprocating through an aperture in a vertical column in which the material slides. A plurality of box-shaped elements carry the folded sections to a sewing machine, where ring-shaped elements are formed by sewing together the ends of such sections. A discharging device comprises a movable arm oscillating between a first position wherein its free end is at the same level of the box elements and a second position wherein it has caught a ring-shaped article upon an upward rotation. The free end of the movable arm is bent in a direction opposite to the movement of the box elements.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically sewing together two elastic cloths having different elasticity, the less elastic of which has a substantially annular shape, comprises a conventional sewing machine having its rotating devices connected with supporting and feeding means of the two cloths to be joined together, such as at least two pulleys or a funnel-shaped member, or two pairs of grippers, in combination with a means for correctly positioning the cloths within the sewing zone, which is located at 20.degree.-30.degree. before the completion of the sewing cycle, ahead of the sewing machine needle. A suction-operated device conveys the sewed, assembled pieces to a conventional spreading and discharging device, from the openable bottom of which those pieces are caused to drop into a container. The supporting and feeding means will be of the stationary type or of the movable type, in the latter case being mounted on a platform for a step-by-step station of 360.degree.