6 in its fully retracted position and it is shown to the right of the thread in its fully extended position with respect to the interior telescoping member 43 one end of a compression spring 47 rests on a shoulder 45 of the tube section 43 and the other end rests on a bottom edge 46 of the tube section 44 the spring 47 urges the telescoping tube into its retracted position in which the orifice 48 is so far removed from the clamping and severing fixture 38 40 41 that the severed end of a clamped thread lies outside of the effective suction region of the low pressure prevailing in the thread drawoff tube 131 in its extended position the suction orifice 48 of the thread drawoff tube 131 is near the end of the thread which then lies within the effective suction region of the tube the displacement of the outer tube section 44 in opposition to the force of the compression spring 47 is effected by a pressure medium for example by air which is admitted through a hose 51 or the like from a container 52 and which is admitted through a nipple 50 on the tube section 44 and becomes effective in the hollow space formed between on the one hand the shoulder 45 of the tube section.