Printing plate handling device

A printing plate handling device for gripping a printing plate adjacent to an edge of the printing plate at one of a bent-over leading edge and a bent-over trailing edge of the printing plate, said printing plate handling device comprising:

• a mechanism including two opposed clamping side pieces for holding the printing plate in a flat, frictionally-engaged manner along a surface area of the printing plate adjacent to the edge of the printing plate;
• and
• a mechanism for holding the printing plate with a defined register, the mechanism for holding the printing plate with the defined register comprising:
• guide pins at both ends of the opposed clamping side pieces, the guide pins being introduceable into guide grooves of a printing plate preparation table so that the printing plate being held ready on the printing plate preparation table is gripped between the opposed clamping side pieces with the defined register, and said guide pins being introduceable into guide grooves of a printing couple so that a printing plate held with the defined register between the opposed clamping side pieces is transferred with the defined register to the printing couple.