Device and method for guiding sheet material in a printing press, particulary in a sheet-fed rotary offset press

A device for guiding sheet material in a printing press, comprising:

• a guide surface located below a path in which a sheet is guidable;
• nozzles arranged in zones within said guide surface, said zones including a first zone extending along a longitudinal axis of said guide surface, and a second and a third zone, respectively, located at left-hand and right-hand sides of said first zone, the nozzles in said first zone being blast nozzles having a blowing direction extending generally in a sheet transport direction, the nozzles in said second and third zones being blast nozzles having a blowing direction extending generally from said longitudinal axis of said guide surface to lateral edges of said guide surface, said nozzles of said first zone being suppliable with blast air independently of a supply of air to said nozzles of said second and said third zones;
• blast boxes respectively assigned to said second and said third zones for supplying blast air to said nozzles of said second and said third zones;
• and
• separate blowers provided for supplying blast air to said blast boxes assigned to said second and said third zones.

A device for guiding sheet material in a printing press, comprising:

• a guide surface located below a path in which a sheet is guidable;
• nozzles arranged in zones within said guide surface, said zones including a first zone extending along a longitudinal axis of said guide surface, and a second and a third zone, respectively, located at left-hand and right-hand sides of said first zone, the nozzles in said first zone being blast nozzles having a blowing direction extending generally in a sheet transport direction, the nozzles in said second and third zones being blast nozzles having a blowing direction extending generally from said longitudinal axis of said guide surface to lateral edges of said guide surface, said nozzles of said first zone being suppliable with blast air independently of a supply of air to said nozzles of said second and said third zones;
• blast boxes respectively assigned to said second and said third zones for supplying blast air to said nozzles of said second and said third zones;
• at least one blower for supplying blast air to said blast boxes assigned to said second and said third zones;
• and
• the printing press convertible between recto and recto/verso printing modes, and said nozzles of said second and said third zones to be supplied with blast air by said at least one blower in both the recto and the recto/verso printing modes.