the chain 132 extends below the beam 3 through openings in the pillars 4 and 6 and is passed around a sprocket wheel 133 journalled axially in a support 134 attached to the outside of the pillar 4 the upper run of the chain 132 extends into the beam 3 and is deflected away from the axis of said sprocket wheel 131 by an idle roller 135 thereby defining a horizontal trajectory parallel to said lower run one point on the chain upper run is secured to the carriage 70 by means of a small plate 136 fig2 the quilting machine described hereinabove operates as follows first the cloth is positioned on the carriage 18 to accomplish this the cloth is unwound from the roll 52 and deflected horizontally by a roller 137 on the frame 53 fig3 under the brushes 48 which drive its edges onto the needles 44 45 the driving of the chains 34 35 generated by means of the motor 29 causes the desired length of cloth to be fed a corresponding distance under the sewing heads and over the respective hook devices then the sewing step begins with the actuation of the motor 88 which powers the sewing heads 101 111 and hook devices 115 116 simultaneously the motors 58 and 130.