Apparatus for working on sheets of sheet material and sheet material for use therewith

The combination of an apparatus and a paper proof sheet for use in proofing image data to be used by a photoplotter in raster exposing a graphic image on a photosensitive surface of a sheet of printing plate media, wherein:

• said apparatus comprises a raster printer for printing onto said proof sheet a proofing image using said image data so that said proofing image corresponds closely to the image to be exposed on a sheet of printing plate media by a photoplotter using said image data,
• said raster printer has a frame and a friction sheet advance mechanism for advancing said proof sheet through said printer along a given feed path, said friction sheet advance mechanism having an input mouth with a length dimension extending generally horizontally and perpendicularly to said feed path,
• an input guide roll is located in advance of said input mouth and mounted for free rotation relative to said frame about a guide roll axis extending generally parallel to said length dimension of said input mouth,
• said guide roll having two opposite end portions spaced from one another along the length of said guide roll axis,
• each of said end portions of said guide roll carrying a set of sprocket pins arranged in circumferentially spaced relation to one another about the circumference of the associated end portion, and
• said proof sheet of paper is of rectangular shape and has a longitudinal axis.
• said proof sheet having leading and trailing end edges extending transversely to said longitudinal axis and two s paced side edges extending parallel to said longitudinal axis.
• said proof sheet having two lateral marginal portions located respectively adjacent each of said two side edges of said sheet and a leading portion located adjacent said leading edge, and
• each of said lateral marginal portions of said proof sheet having a row of sprocket holes formed therein and spaced from one another longitudinally of said sheet so that in introducing said proofing sheet to said printer said leading portion of said sheet may first be placed onto said guide roll with the ones of said sprocket holes included in said leading portion being placed on sprocket pins of said two end portions of said guide roll and so that said guide roll may then be rotated manually to move said leading edge of said proof sheet into said mouth of said printer with said sprocket pins of said guide roll and said sprocket holes of said proofing sheet maintaining accurate positioning of said proof sheet relative to said friction sheet advance mechanism of said printer.
• said sheet advance mechanism including a main feed roll supported for driven rotation relative to said frame about a feed roll axis generally parallel to said axis of said guide roll,
• said printer having a horizontally extending output slot spaced above said input mouth and said feed path extends from said input mouth to partially around said feed roll and from said feed roll to said output slot, with the portion of said feed path which passes around said feed roll passing through a printing station,
• said printer having a generally vertically extending outwardly facing surface between said input mouth and said output slot,
• a plurality of V-shaped protrusions extend outwardly from said outwardly facing surface and are spaced from one another along the lengths of said input mouth and outlet slot, each of said protrusions having an upper surface extending generally downwardly and outwardly from said output slot and a lower surface extending generally upwardly and outwardly from said input mouth, which upper and lower surfaces intersect to define the outward limit of the protrusion, and
• at least one of said protrusions having a guide attached to it which guide extends outwardly beyond said outward limit of the associated protrusion to support the portion of said proof sheet which issues from said output slot to inhibit said issuing portion of said proof sheet from re -entering said input mouth and from taking on a cupped shape.

The combination wherein an apparatus and a paper proof sheet for use in proofing image data to be used by a photoplotter in raster exposing a graphic image on a photosensitive surface of a sheet of printing plate media, wherein:

• said apparatus comprises a raster printer for printing onto said proof sheet a proofing image using said image data so that said proofing closely to the image to be closely to the image to be exposed on a sheet of using said image data,
• said raster printer has a frame and a friction sheet advance mechanism for advancing said proof sheet through said printer along a given feed path, said friction sheet advance mechanism having an input mouth with a length dimension extending generally horizontally and perpendicularly to said feed path,
• an input guide roll is located in advance of said input mouth and mounted for free rotation relative to said frame about a guide roll axis extending generally parallel to said length dimension of said in put mouth,
• said guide roll having two opposite end portions spaced from one another along the length of said guide roll axis,
• each of said end portions of said guide roll carrying a set of sprocket pins arranged in circumferentially spaced relation to one another about the circumference of the associated end portion, and
• said proof sheet of paper is of rectangular shape and has a longitudinal axis,
• said proof sheet having leading and trailing end edges extending transversely to said longitudinal axis and two spaced side edges extending parallel to said longitudinal axis,
• said proof sheet having two lateral marginal portions located respectively adjacent each of said two side edges of said sheet and a leading portion located adjacent said leading edge, and
• each of said lateral marginal portions of said proof sheet having a row of sprocket holes formed therein and spaced from one another longitudinally of said sheet so that in introducing said proofing sheet to said printer said leading portion of said sheet may first be placed onto said guide roll with the ones of said sprocket holes included in said leading portion being placed on sprocket pins of said two end portions of said guide roll and so that said guide roll may then be rotated manually to move said leading edge of said proof sheet into said mouth of said printer with said sprocket pins of said guide roll and said sprocket holes of said proofing sheet maintaining accurate positioning of said proof sheet relative to said friction sheet advance mechanism of said printer,
• said sheet advance mechanism including a main feed roll supported for driven rotation relative to said frame about a feed roll axis generally parallel to said axis of said guide roll,
• said printer having a horizontally extending output slot spaced above said input mouth, and said feed path extends from said input mouth to partially around said feed roll and from said feed roll to said output slot with the portion of said feed path which passes around said feed roll passing through a printing station extending alone the length of said feed roll,
• said printer including a print head movable over said printing station along a print head axis parallel to said guide roll axis for raster printing onto said proof sheet,
• said printer including a control mechanism for controlling the operation of said sheet advance mechanism and of said print head,
• said print head carrying a photosensor including a light emitter for emitting light onto a sensing area fixed relative to said photosensor and a light detector for detecting light reflected from said sensing area said sensing area being positioned so that said photosensor is capable of detecting edges on said proof sheet as relative motion occurs between said photosensor and said proof sheet,
• said control mechanism being operable during the loading of said proof sheet into said printer and after said leading edge of said proof sheet has passed said printing station to move said print head along said 1 print head axis and across said proof sheet so that said photosensor detects the position of at least one of said side edges of said proof sheet,
• said control mechanism being further operable to thereafter cause said print head to print a graphic image onto said proof sheet in accordance with said image data with said printed image being laterally referenced to the position of said one of said side edges of said proof sheet as detected by said photosensor,
• said proof sheet including an index opening in said leading edge portion of said proof sheet adjacent one of said rows of sprocket holes, said index hole having a straight index edge extending perpendicularly to said two side edges of said proof sheet, and
• said control mechanism further being operable during the loading of said proof sheet into said printer to, before said index opening reaches said printing station, move said print head along said print head axis to bring said photosensor into alignment with the path followed by said index opening as said proof sheet moves along said feed path, thereafter to cause said sheet feed mechanism to advance said proof sheet by an increment sufficient to move said index hole past said sensing area of said photodetector so that said photosensor detects the position of said index edge, and thereafter to cause said print head to print a graphic image onto said proof sheet in accordance with said image data with said printed image being longitudinally referenced to the position of said index edge as detected by said photosensor.

The combination of an apparatus and a paper proof sheet for use in proofing image data to be used by a photoplotter in raster ex posing a graphic image on a photosensitive surface of a sheet of printing plate media, wherein:

• said apparatus comprises a raster printer for printing onto said proof sheet a proofing image using said image data so that said proofing image corresponds closely to the image to be exposed on a sheet of printing plate media by a photoplotter using said image data, said raster printer has a frame and a friction sheet advance mechanism for advancing said proof sheet through said printer along a given feed path, said friction sheet advance mechanism having an in put mouth with a length dimension extending generally horizontally and perpendicularly to said feed path, an input guide roll is located in advance of said input mouth and mounted for free rotation relative to said frame about a guide roll axis extending generally parallel to said length dimension of said input mouth,
• said guide roll having two opposite end portions spaced from one another along the length of said guide roll axis, and
• each of said end portions of said guide roll carrying a set of sprocket pins arranged in circumferentially spaced relation to one another about the circumference of the associated end portion, and
• said proof sheet of paper is of rectangular shape and has a longitudinal axis,
• said proof sheet having leading and trailing end edges extending transversely to said longitudinal axis and two s paced side edges extending parallel to said longitudinal axis,
• said proof sheet having two lateral marginal portions located respectively adjacent each of said two side edges of said sheet and a leading portion located adjacent said leading edge, and
• each of said lateral marginal portions of said proof sheet having a row of sprocket holes formed therein and spaced from one another longitudinally of said sheet so that in introducing said proofing sheet to said printer said leading portion of said sheet may first be placed onto said guide roll with the ones of said sprocket holes included in said leading portion being placed on sprocket pins of said two end portions of said guide roll and so that said guide roll may then be rotated manually to move said leading edge of said proof sheet into said mouth of said printer with said sprocket pins of said guide roll and said sprocket holes of said proofing sheet maintaining accurate positioning of said proof sheet relative to said friction sheet advance mechanism of said printer,
• one of said two end portions of said guide roll being connected with the other of said two end portions of said guide roll through an angular adjustment mechanism permitting one of said two end portions to be adjustable angularly positioned about said guide roll axis relative to the other of said end portions
• said angular adjustment mechanism including a worm gear centered on said axis of said guide roll and angularly fixed to one of said end portions of said guide roll and a worm carried by said other one of said end portions of said guide roll and meshing with said worm gear so that by rotation of said worm the angular position of said two end portions relative to one another about said guide roll axis may be adjusted in either angular direction depending on the direction of rotation of said worm.

The combination of an apparatus and a paper proof sheet for use in proofing image data to be used by a photoplotter in raster exposing a graphic image on a photosensitive surface of a sheet of printing plate media, wherein:

• said apparatus comprises a raster printer for printing onto said proof sheet a proofing image using said image data so that said proofing image corresponds closely to the image to be exposed on a sheet of printing plate media by a photoplotter using said image data,
• said raster printer has a frame and a friction sheet advance mechanism for advancing said proof sheet through said printer along a given feed path, said friction sheet advance mechanism having an input mouth with a length dimension extending generally horizontally and perpendicularly to said feed path,
• an input guide roll is located in advance of said input mouth and mounted for free rotation relative to said frame about a guide roll axis extending generally parallel to said length dimension of said input mouth,
• said guide roll having two opposite end portions spaced from one another alone the length of said guide roll axis,
• each of said end portions of said guide roll carrying a set of sprocket pins arranged in circumferentially spaced relation to one another about the circumference of the associated end portion, and
• said proof sheet of paper is of rectangular shape and has a longitudinal axis,
• said proof sheet having leading and trailing end edges extending transversely to said longitudinal axis and two spaced side edges extending parallel to said longitudinal axis.
• said proof sheet having two lateral marginal portions located respectively adjacent each of said two side edges of said sheet and a leading portion located adjacent said leading edge.
• each of said lateral marginal portions of said proof sheet having a row of sprocket holes formed therein and spaced from one another longitudinally of said sheet so that in introducing said proofing sheet to said printer said leading portion of said sheet may first be placed onto said guide roll with the ones of said sprocket holes included in said leading portion being placed on sprocket pins of said two end portions of said guide roll and so that said guide roll may then be rotated manually to move said leading edge of said proof sheet into said mouth of said printer with said sprocket pins of said guide roll and said sprocket holes of said proofing sheet maintaining accurate positioning of said proof sheet relative to said friction sheet advance mechanism of said printer.
• a biasing means associated with said guide roll which biasing means is manually shiftable between active and inactive conditions,
• said biasing means in said active condition exerting a force on said guide roll tending to resist rotation of said guide roll about said guide roll axis in the direction corresponding to movement of said proof sheet into said input mouth of said printer, and
• said biasing means in said inactive condition exerting no force on said guide roll resisting its rotation in either direction about said guide roll axis.

The combination of an apparatus and a paper proof sheet for use in proofing image data to be used by a photoplotter in raster exposing a graphic image on a photosensitive surface of a sheet of printing plate media, wherein:

• said apparatus comprises a raster printer for printing onto said proof sheet a proofing image using said image data so that said proofing image corresponds closely to the image to be exposed on a sheet of printing plate media by a photoplotter using said image data,
• said raster printer has a frame and a friction sheet advance mechanism for advancing said proof sheet through said printer along a given feed path, said friction sheet advance mechanism having an input mouth with a length dimension extending generally horizontally and perpendicularly to said feed path,
• an input guide roll is located in advance of said input mouth and mounted for free rotation relative to said frame about a guide roll axis extending generally parallel to said length dimension of said input mouth,
• said guide roll having two opposite end portions spaced from one another along the length of said guide roll axis,
• each of said end portions of said guide roll carrying a set of sprocket pins arranged in circumferentially spaced relation to one another about the circumference of the associated end portion, and
• said proof sheet of paper is of rectangular shape and has a longitudinal axis,
• said proof sheet having leading and trailing end edges extending transversely to said longitudinal axis and two spaced side edges extending parallel to said longitudinal axis,
• said proof sheet having two lateral marginal portions located respectively adjacent each of said two side edges of said sheet and a leading portion located adjacent said leading edge
• each of said lateral marginal portions of said proof sheet having a row of sprocket holes formed therein and spaced from one another longitudinally of said sheet so that in introducing said proofing sheet to said printer said leading portion of said sheet may first be placed onto said guide roll with the ones of said sprocket holes included in said leading portion being placed on sprocket pins of said two end portions of said guide roll and so that said guide roll may then be rotated manually to move said leading edge of said proof sheet into said mouth of said printer with said sprocket pins of said guide roll and said sprocket holes of said proofing sheet maintaining accurate positioning of said proof sheet relative to said friction sheet advance mechanism of said printer,
• each of said lateral marginal portions of said proof sheet said sprocket holes being arranged to form groups of regularly spaced regular sprocket holes, which groups of regularly spaced regular sprocket holes are spaced from one another along the length of said proof sheet by indicator zones with each of said indicator zones including one or more indicator sprocket holes visually distinguishable from said regular sprocket holes of said regularly spaced groups of regular sprocket holes, the sprocket hole arrangement appearing in one of said lateral marginal portions being identical to the sprocket hole arrangement appearing in the other of said lateral marginal portions of said proof sheet with each sprocket hole of one lateral marginal portion having a corresponding sprocket hole in the other of said lateral marginal portions which corresponding sprocket holes are located on a common line extending perpendicularly to said side edges of said proof sheet, and
• said sprocket pins on each of said end portions of said guide roll being arranged in a pattern corresponding to that of said sprocket holes in said lateral marginal portions of said proof sheet so that some of said sprocket pins on each end portion of said guide roll are regular pins and at least one other of the sprocket pins is an indicator pin visually distinguishable from said regular pins so that, in the placing of said proof sheet onto said guide roll, by placing indicator sprocket holes of said proof sheet onto corresponding indicator sprocket pins of said two guide roll end portions misloading of said sheet onto said guide roll in a skewed condition is avoided.

The combination of an apparatus and a paper proof sheet for use in proofing image data to be used by a photoplotter in raster exposing a graphic image on a photosensitive surface of a sheet of printing plate media, wherein:

• said apparatus comprises a raster printer for printing onto said proof sheet a proofing image using said image data so that said proofing image corresponds closely to the image to be exposed on a sheet of printing plate media by a photoplotter using said image data,
• said raster printer has a frame and a friction sheet advance mechanism for advancing said proof sheet through said printer along a given feed path, said friction sheet advance mechanism having an input mouth with a length dimension extending generally horizontally and perpendicularly to said feed path,
• an input guide roll is located in advance of said input mouth and mounted for free rotation relative to said frame about a guide roll axis extending generally parallel to said length dimension of said input mouth,
• said guide roll having two opposite end portions spaced from one another along the length of said guide roll axis,
• each of said end portions of said guide roll carrying a set of sprocket pins arranged in circumferentially spaced relation to one another about the circumference of the associated end portion, and
• said proof sheet of paper is of rectangular shape and has a longitudinal axis,
• said proof sheet having leading and trailing end edges extending transversely to said longitudinal axis and two spaced side edges extending parallel to said longitudinal axis,
• said proof sheet having two lateral marginal portions located respectively adjacent each of said two side edges of said sheet and a leading portion located adjacent said leading edge,
• each of said lateral marginal portions of said proof sheet having a row of sprocket holes formed therein and spaced from one another longitudinally of said sheet so that in introducing said proofing sheet to said printer said leading portion of said sheet may first be placed onto said guide roll with the ones of said sprocket holes included in said leading portion being placed on sprocket pins of said two end portions of said guide roll and so that said huide roll may then be rotated manually to move said leading edge of said proof sheet into said mouth of said printer with said sprocket pins of said guide roll and said sprocket holes of said proofing sheet maintaining accurate positioning of said proof sheet relative to said friction sheet advance mechanism of said printer.
• two bails are carried by said frame and located respectively adjacent each of said end portions of said guide roll,
• each of said bails including a bail body movable relative to said frame between opened and closed positions,
• said bail body carrying a hold down wheel having an axis of rotation relative to said bail body and two tire portions spaced from one another along the length of said axis of rotation, said hold down wheel being so arranged and supported on said bail body that when said bail body is in said closed position said hold down wheel has its axis of rotation arranged paralled to said guide roll axis and has its two tire portions located on opposite sides of the associated set of said sprocket pins so as to hold said proof sheet onto said sprocket pins, said bail body and said hold down wheel when in said bail body is in said open position being removed from said associated set of sprocket pins to permit loading of said proof sheet onto said sprocket pins.

A raster printer for printing onto a receiving sheet, said printer comprising:

• a frame,
• a friction sheet advance mechanism for advancing a receiving sheet through said printer along a given feed path, said friction sheet advance mechanism having an input mouth with a length dimension extending generally horizontally and perpendicularly to said feed path, said sheet advance mechanism including a main feed roll supported for driven rotation relative to said frame about a feed roll axis extending generally parallel to said input mouth,
• said printer having a horizontally extending output slot spaced above said input mouth, and said feed path extending from said input mouth to partially around said feed roll and from said feed roll to said output slot,
• said printer having a generally vertically extending outwardly facing surface between said input mouth and said output slot,
• a plurality of V-shaped protrusions extending outwardly from said outwardly facing surface and spaced from one another along the lengths of said input mouth and output slot, each of said protrusions having an upper surface extending generally downwardly and outwardly from said output slot and a lower surface extending generally upwardly and outwardly from said input mouth, which upper and lower surfaces intersect to define the outward limit of the protrusion, and
• at least one of said protrusions having a guide attached to it which guide extends outwardly beyond said outward limit of the associated protrusion to support the portion of said receiving sheet which issues from said output mouth to inhibit said issuing portion of said receiving sheet from re-entering said input mouth and from taking a cupped shape.

A raster printer for printing graphic images onto sheets of receiving material in accordance with image data input into said printer and which receiving sheets are of rectangular shape with each sheet having a longitudinal axis, two parallel side edges, a lateral marginal portion adjacent each of the two side edges, leading and trailing end edges, and a row of sprocket holes in each of the marginal portions, said printer comprising:

• a frame,
• a friction sheet advance mechanism for advancing a receiving sheet through said printer along a given feed path, said friction sheet advance mechanism having an input mouth with a length dimension extending generally horizontally and perpendicularly to said feed path, and
• an input guide roll located in advance of said input mouth and mounted for free manual rotation independently of said advance mechanism relative to said frame about a guide roll axis extending generally parallel to said length dimension of said input mouth,
• said guide roll having two opposite end portions spaced from one another along the length of said guide roll axis,
• each of said end portions of said guide roll carrying a set of sprocket pins arranged in circumferentially spaced relation to one another about the circumference of the associated end portion for receiving the sprocket holes of an associated one of said lateral marginal edge portions of said sheet,
• said guide roll having an outer cylindrical surface extending substantially continuously between said two opposite end portions and said cylindrical surface having an uppermost part, and
• means providing a horizontal support surface between said uppermost part of said outer cylindrical surface of said guide roll and said input mouth to vertically support said proof sheet in the area between said guide roll and said input mouth,
• so that in introducing a receiving sheet to said input mouth of said printer such sheet may be first placed onto said guide roll with ones of said sprocket holes being placed on sprocket pins of said two end portions of said guide roll and so that said guide roll may then be rotated manually to move the receiving sheet into said mouth of said printer with said sprocket pins of said guide roll maintaining accurate positioning of the receiving sheet relative to said friction sheet advance mechanism and with said horizontal support surface vertically supporting said proof sheet in the area between said guide roll and said input mouth.

A raster printer for printing graphic images onto sheets of receiving material in accordance with image data input into said printer and which receiving sheets are of rectangular shape with each sheet having a longitudinal axis. two parallel side edges, a lateral marginal portion adjacent each of the two side edges, leading and trailing end edges, a row of sprocket holes in each of the marginal portions and an index opening located near said leading edge and adjacent one of said rows of sprocket holes, said index hole having a straight index edge extending perpendicularly to said two side edges of said proof sheet,said printer comprising:

• a frame,
• a friction sheet advance mechanism for advancing a receiving sheet through said printer along a given feed path, said friction sheet advance mechanism having an input mouth with a length dimension extending generally horizontally and perpendicularly to said feed path, and
• an input guide roll located in advance of said input mouth and mounted for free rotation relative to said frame about a guide roll axis extending generally parallel to said length dimension of said input mouth.
• said guide roll having two opposite end portions spaced from one another along the length of said guide roll axis, and
• each of said end portions of said guide roll carrying a set of sprocket pins arranged in circumferentially spaced relation to one another about the circumference of the associated end portion for receiving the sprocket holes of an associated one of said lateral marginal edge portions of said sheet,
• so that in introducing a receiving sheet to said input mouth of said printer such sheet may be first placed onto said guide roll with ones of said sprocket holes being placed on sprocket pins of said two end portions of said guide roll and so that said guide roll may then be rotated manually to move the receiving sheet into said mouth of said printer with said sprocket pins of said guide roll maintaining accurate positioning of the receiving sheet relative to said friction sheet advance mechanism,
• said control mechanism further being operable during the loading of a receiving sheet into said printer to, before said index opening reaches said printing station, move said print head along said print head axis to bring said photosensor into alignment with the path followed by said index opening as a receiving sheet moves along said feed path, thereafter to cause said feed mechanism to advance said receiving sheet by an increment sufficient to move said index hole past said sensing area of said photodetector so that said photosensor detects the position of said index edge, and thereafter to cause said print head to print a graphic image onto said receiving sheet in accordance with said image data with said printed image being longitudinally referenced to the position of said index edge as detected by said photosensor.

A raster printer for printing graphic images onto sheets of receiving material in accordance with image data input into said printer and which receiving sheets are of rectangular shape with each sheet having a longitudinal axis, two parallel side edges, a lateral marginal portion adjacent each of the two side edges, leading and trailing end edges, and a row of sprocket holes in each of the marginal portions, said printer comprising:

• a frame,
• a friction sheet advance mechanism for advancing a receiving sheet through said printer along a given feed path, said friction sheet advance mechanism having an input mouth with a length dimension extending generally horizontally and perpendicularly to said feed path,
• an input guide roll located in advance of said input mouth and mounted for free rotation relative to said frame about a guide roll axis extending generally parallel to said length dimension of said input mouth.
• said guide roll having two opposite end portions spaced from one another along the length of said guide roll axis, and
• each of said end portions of said guide roll carrying a set of sprocket pins arranged in circumferentially spaced relation to one another about the circumference of the associated end portion for receiving the sprocket holes of an associated one of said lateral marginal edge portions of said sheet,
• so that in introducing a receiving sheet to said in put mouth of said printer such sheet may be first placed onto said guide roll with ones of said sprocket holes being placed on sprocket pins of said two end portions of said guide roll and so that said guide roll may then be rotated manually to move the receiving sheet into said mouth of said printer with said sprocket pins of said guide roll maintaining accurate positioning of the receiving sheet relative to said friction sheet advance mechanism.
• said printer further including a biasing means associated with said guide roll which biasing means is manually shiftable between active and inactive conditions,
• said biasing means in said active condition exerting a force on said guide roll tending to resist rotation of said guide roll about said guide roll axis in the direction corresponding to movement of said proof sheet into said input mouth of said printer, and
• said biasing means in said inactive condition exerting no force on said guide roll resisting its rotation in either direction about said guide roll axis.

A proof sheet for use with a raster printer for the printing of graphic images onto one or both of its faces by the printer in response to image data, said proof sheet

• being of rectangular shape and having a longitudinal axis, said sheet having leading and trailing end edges extending transversely to said longitudinal axis and two spaced side edges extending parallel to said longitudinal axis,
• said sheet having two lateral marginal portions located respectively adjacent each of two side edges of said sheet and a leading portion located adjacent said leading edge,
• each of said lateral marginal portions of said sheet having a row of sprocket holes formed therein and spaced from one another longitudinally of said sheet, and
• said sheet having an index hole in said leading edge portion which index hole is spaced perpendicularly of said sheet from both of said rows of sprocket holes so as to be out of alignment with either of said rows of sprocket holes and which index hole includes a straight index edge extending perpendicularly to said side edges of said sheet.

An apparatus for working on sheets of sheet material which sheets are of rectangular shape with each sheet having a longitudinal axis, two parallel side edges, a lateral marginal portion adjacent each of the two side edges, leading and trailing end edges, and a row of sprocket holes in each of the marginal portions, said apparatus comprising:

• a frame,
• a friction sheet advance mechanism for advancing a sheet through said apparatus along a given feed path, said friction sheet advance mechanism having an input mouth with a length dimension extending generally horizontally and perpendicularly to said feed path,
• an input guide roll located in advance of said input mouth and mounted for free manual rotation independently of said advance mechanism relative to said frame about a guide roll axis extending generally parallel to said length dimension of said input mouth,
• said guide roll having two opposite end portions spaced from one another along the length of said guide roll axis, and each of said end portions of said guide roll carrying a set of sprocket pins arranged in circumferentially spaced relation to one another about the circumference of the associated end portion for receiving the sprocket holes of an associated one of said lateral marginal edge portions of said sheet,
• said guide roll having an outer cylindrical surface extending substantially continuously between said two opposite end portions and said cylindrical surface having an uppermost part, and
• means providing a horizontal support surface between said uppermost part of said outer cylindrical surface of said guide roll and said input mouth to vertically support said proof sheet in the area between said guide roll and said input mouth,
• so that in introducing a sheet to said input mouth of said printer such sheet may be first placed onto said guide roll with ones of said sprocket holes being placed on sprocket pins of said two end portions of said guide roll and so that said guide roll may then be rotated manually to move the sheet into said mouth of said printer with said sprocket pins of said guide roll maintaining accurate positioning of the sheet relative to said friction sheet advance mechanism and with said horizontal support surface vertically supporting said proof sheet in the area between said guide roll and said input mouth.