As far as iron automatons go, they are described as "immune to sorcery, except lightning". Bronze, clay, and stone automatons have similar restrictions, and flesh automatons are "immune to charm, hold, sleep, and other mind-affecting magic". So that would seem to rule out hypnotic pattern against any automaton in the RAW (which of course any DM can and should ignore if they wish).
Tombs of the Blind Dead is exactly what I was thinking about with the "unseeing skeletons" bit.