Device for transporting a sheet for a rotary printing machine

A sheet-processing machine including a device for transporting a sheet in a processing direction, the sheet-transporting device comprising:

• first grippers for gripping the sheet at a leading gripper viewed in the direction of processing, said first grippers revolving in a first direction during operation;
• a cylinder bearing said first grippers, said cylinder having a support surface formed at the circumference thereof for supporting the sheet gripped by said first grippers;
• second grippers for taking over the leading gripper margin of the respective sheet from said first grippers, said second grippers revolving in a second direction opposite to said first direction;
• at least one pair of sheet supports rotating about a rotational axis and formed with a pitch surface disposed concentric with said rotational axis, said pitch surface having an extent along said rotational axis less than the width of a respective nonprinted lateral margin of the respective sheet, and serving to press the sheet against said support surface within a respective lateral margin;
• and
• suction grippers;
• said sheet supports and said suction grippers jointly rotating in said second direction about said rotational axis;
• said suction grippers being adapted for taking over from said cylinder a trailing gripper margin of the sheet being pressed against said support surface of said cylinder by said sheet supports;
• said sheet supports, while pressing the sheet against said support surface, being in successive rolling contact with the sheet from the leading margin unto the trailing margin of the sheet.

A rotary printing machine including a device for transporting a sheet in a processing direction, the sheet-transporting device comprising:

• first grippers for gripping the sheet at a leading gripper margin, as viewed in the direction of processing, said first grippers revolving in a first direction during operation;
• a cylinder bearing said first grippers, said cylinder having a support surface formed at the circumference thereof for supporting the sheet gripped by said first grippers;
• second grippers for taking over the leading gripper margin of the respective sheet from said first grippers, said second grippers revolving in a second direction opposite to said first direction;
• at least one pair of sheet supports rotating about a rotational axis and formed with a pitch surface disposed concentric with said rotational axis, said pitch surface having an extent along said rotational axis less than the width of a respective nonprinted lateral margin of the respective sheet, and serving to press the sheet against said support surface within a respective lateral margin;
• and
• suction grippers;
• said sheet supports and said suction grippers jointly rotating in said second direction about said rotational axis;
• said suction grippers being adapted for taking over from said cylinder a trailing gripper margin of the sheet being pressed against said support surface of said cylinder by said sheet supports;
• said sheet supports, while pressing the sheet against said support surface, being in successive rolling contact with the sheet from the leading margin unto the trailing margin of the sheet.