Cover for simultaneously aligning and masking hairpins of a stator in preparation for a welding process by which upper ends of the hairpins are joined, wherein - the hairpins have two legs, and the legs have an upper portion (22, 22a, 22b) which is stripped and has an upper end (23, 23a, 23b), and - in each case two upper portions of legs of different hairpins are arranged in pairs, wherein the cover comprises i) a surface having an upper face and a lower face, ii) recesses, - in each of which an assembly comprising the upper portions (22a, 22b) of two hairpins (20, 20a, 20b) arranged in pairs can be received and which are arranged next to each other in a circumferential direction of the surface on concentric circular paths or portions of concentric circular paths and in radially extending rows, wherein - recesses arranged next to one another in the circumferential direction are spaced apart by a portion of a radial partition extending in a radial direction, - recesses arranged next to one another in the radial direction are spaced apart by a portion of an annular partition extending between the concentric circular paths, and - a relative arrangement of the recesses corresponds to a relative end positioning provided for the upper portions (22a, 22b) of two hairpins (20a, 20b) arranged in pairs, characterized in that the cover comprises iii) means for aligning and tensioning the upper portions (22a, 22b) of two hairpins (20a, 20b) arranged in pairs, wherein - the means are arranged on the lower face of the surface in the radial direction, - each means has a first end facing the lower face of the surface and a second end facing away from the lower face of the surface, wherein each means is tapered toward the second end, and - the first end of each means partially overlaps with at least one of the recesses. - the hairpins have two legs, and the legs have an upper portion (22, 22a, 22b) which is stripped and has an upper end (23, 23a, 23b), and - in each case two upper portions of legs of different hairpins are arranged in pairs, wherein the cover comprises i) a surface having an upper face and a lower face, ii) recesses, i) a surface having an upper face and a lower face, ii) recesses, - in each of which an assembly comprising the upper portions (22a, 22b) of two hairpins (20, 20a, 20b) arranged in pairs can be received and which are arranged next to each other in a circumferential direction of the surface on concentric circular paths or portions of concentric circular paths and in radially extending rows, wherein - recesses arranged next to one another in the circumferential direction are spaced apart by a portion of a radial partition extending in a radial direction, - recesses arranged next to one another in the radial direction are spaced apart by a portion of an annular partition extending between the concentric circular paths, and - a relative arrangement of the recesses corresponds to a relative end positioning provided for the upper portions (22a, 22b) of two hairpins (20a, 20b) arranged in pairs, characterized in that the cover comprises iii) means for aligning and tensioning the upper portions (22a, 22b) of two hairpins (20a, 20b) arranged in pairs, wherein - the means are arranged on the lower face of the surface in the radial direction, - each means has a first end facing the lower face of the surface and a second end facing away from the lower face of the surface, wherein each means is tapered toward the second end, and - the first end of each means partially overlaps with at least one of the recesses. can be received and which are arranged next to each other in a circumferential direction of the surface on concentric circular paths or portions of concentric circular paths and in radially extending rows, wherein - recesses arranged next to one another in the circumferential direction are spaced apart by a portion of a radial partition extending in a radial direction, - recesses arranged next to one another in the radial direction are spaced apart by a portion of an annular partition extending between the concentric circular paths, and - a relative arrangement of the recesses corresponds to a relative end positioning provided for the upper portions (22a, 22b) of two hairpins (20a, 20b) arranged in pairs, characterized in that the cover comprises iii) means for aligning and tensioning the upper portions (22a, 22b) of two hairpins (20a, 20b) arranged in pairs, wherein - the means are arranged on the lower face of the surface in the radial direction, - each means has a first end facing the lower face of the surface and a second end facing away from the lower face of the surface, wherein each means is tapered toward the second end, and - the first end of each means partially overlaps with at least one of the recesses.