Device for holding a flat sheet-shaped element circulating in a processing machine

A machine for processing a succession of flat elements in sheet form, the machine comprising:

• a first workstation and a second workstation:
• a sheet conveyor configured to convey a sheet between a first position at the first workstation and a second position at the second workstation along a conveying path;
• a suction braking device configured to support and brake a sheet while being conveyed by the sheet conveyor between the first position and the second position, the suction braking device comprising:
• two suction members, each suction member comprising a plurality of suction elements extending along the conveying path, the suction elements being arranged side by side with each of the suction elements being spaced-apart from the neighboring suction elements in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveying path and also thereby being transversely offset with respect to the suction elements of the other suction member;
• at least one of the two suction members is arranged to move parallel to the sheet conveying path with respect to the other suction member between a retracted position, in which each suction element of each member of the two suction members is interposed between the suction elements of the other member of the two suction members, and a deployed position, in which the suction elements of the one member of the two suction members are longitudinally offset with respect to the suction elements of the other member of the two suction members parallel to the conveying path,
• wherein the two suction members comprises a first series of suction elements and a second series of suction elements positioned in the deployed position downstream in a flat element conveying direction of the first series, and the first series comprises a greater number of suction elements than the second series.