Sheet-cleaning apparatus

A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a sheet prior to being printed by a printing press, comprising:

• (a) sheet transport means for transporting the sheet from an input of the sheet transport means through the cleaning apparatus to an output of the sheet transport means leading to the printing press;
• (b) a backing cloth disposed on at least one side of the sheet between the sheet transport means input and output;
• (c) positioning means for selectively contacting a section of the backing cloth located between sheet transport means input and output and causing at least a part of said backing cloth section to come into contact with a portion of the sheet in a contact area;
• (d) cloth transport means for transporting the backing cloth such that there is at least a small relative motion between the respective sheet portion and backing cloth section when they are brought into contact with each other by the positioning means;
• (e) moistening means for moistening the backing cloth section with an electrically conducting liquid at a location just prior to the contact area;
• and
• (f) grounding means for contacting the backing cloth section at a location just after the contact area and for substantially eliminating static electricity from the contact area due to conduction of electrical charges by the elctrically conducting liquid.