Abstract: In order to load and discharge pieces of sheet metal automatically onto and from a machine tool having a horizontal table movable along a first horizontal axis, a horizontal discharge table and a horizontal loading table are provided in positions in which the tables are side by side and substantially aligned with the horizontal plane of the table of the machine tool. An unprocessed piece of sheet metal to be supplied to the machine tool is placed on the loading table. Initially, the piece-holding table of the machine tool is positioned beside the discharge table. The piece of sheet metal on the piece-holding table is transferred to the discharge table by being slid on the bearing surfaces of the tables in the direction of a second horizontal axis perpendicular to the first axis. The table of the machine tool is then moved to a position in which it is beside the loading table.