Sheet transfer apparatus

In a sheet transfer device for a printing press having a pair of frame sides, and a cylinder comprising a rotatable shaft journalled within said frame sides, and, a plurality of segment members fixed to said shaft, said segment members being spaced axially of each other and arranged in a pair of sets to have a common peripheral surface and leading and trailing edges, each of said segment sets having mechanical gripper means mounted for seizing the leading edge of said sheet, and apparatus for seizing the trailing edge of said sheet comprising, a first rod axially extending through the segments of said cylinder and journalled for rotation about its longitudinal axis, brackets fixed to said rod and extending outwardly adjacent the trailing edge of said peripheral surface, a second axially extending rod journalled within said brackets exterior of the segments of said cylinder to rotate about its longitudinal axis, gripper elements carried by said second rod, a bar mounted at the end of said brackets forming a ledge adapted to cooperate with said gripper elements, means for rotating said second rod to cause said gripper elements to seize the trailing edge of a paper sheet and means for rotating said first rod comprising an eccentric circular cam mounted on one of said sides, a first cam follower mounted on the one bracket adjacent said one side and engaging said cam to thereby cause said one bracket to pivot said first rod, an eccentric pin mounted on said cylinder adjacent said one bracket, a pull rod pivotally mounted on said cylinder adjacent said pin, and spring means connecting said pull rod and said first cam follower to adjustably urge said first cam follower against the first cam, said means being operable during the seizing of the leading edge of the sheet to move said brackets away from the adjacent trailing edge of said peripheral surface to thereby stretch said sheet over the peripheral surface of said segment set.