Automatic sewing apparatus

Sewing apparatus including a main frame, a sewing head mounted thereon, a horizontal table carried by said main frame for receiving a workpiece to be sewn, and a manipulator for manipulating the workpiece on the table with respect to the sewing head;

• characterized in that said manipulator includes a first arm rotatably mounted to said main frame about a first vertical axis, a second arm rotatably mounted to said first arm about a second vertical axis, a manipulatable head rotatably mounted to said second arm about a third vertical axis, said manipulator head being a suction head and including means for selectively applying a negative fluid pressure to its interior in order to pick up and release the workpiece, and rotary drive means for rotating said first and second arms and said manipulator head about their respective first, second and third vertical axes, said horizontal table being formed with a plurality of apertures therethrough and including means for selectively applying either positive or negative fluid pressure through said apertures to the upper face of the table in order to selectively produce either suction for holding the workpiece thereto, or an air cushion for facilitating moving the workpiece thereover by said manipulator.