A transport device for a sheet-format substrate has at least one first substrate feed device and has at least one second substrate feed device. The at least one second substrate feed device comprises at least one forward stop and at least one singulating device. At least one substrate guiding device is arranged between the at least one first substrate feed device and the at least one second substrate feed device. The at least one substrate guiding device has at least one directing element. The at least one directing element is mounted such that it is movable or is moved in two different directions independently of one another.

Sheet feeder (4) for a machine (1) for the processing of sheet material such as paper or films, having a drive shaft (10), which extends substantially perpendicular to a sheet feeding direction and is provided with at least one suction gripper (12), which is rotated above the sheet material, when the drive shaft (10) is driven, wherein the suction gripper (12) is repositionable between an inactive position, in which it does not cooperate with the sheet material, and an active position, in which it can grip on the top side of the sheet material and carry this along.

A device is provided for feeding sheets to a sheet-processing machine having at least one processing mechanism. A feeder head is provided for cyclically separating the sheets from a pile of such sheets and has transporting suckers for transporting the sheets to a belt table. The belt table has at least one revolving transport belt which is guided over at least two feed rollers. A first drive is assigned to at least one feed roller and a sheet flap, which is connected to a pivotally mounted shaft, is provided between the transporting suckers and the at least one transport belt. A second drive is assigned to the shaft, for pivoting that shaft. A sheet arrival sensor, which is arranged between the belt table and the processing mechanism, generates first signals representing the arrival of the sheets for a sequence of sheets. A clock generator generates second signals representing the angular position of the at least one processing mechanism, and has a controller, which controls the first drive as a function of the second signals and which controls the second drive as a function of the first and second signals.

A sheet conveyor includes a conveyance belt configured to convey a sheet on a first surface of the conveyance belt in a conveyance direction, a suction device configured to suck the sheet onto the conveyance belt via the conveyance belt, and multiple supports between the conveyance belt and the suction device in a vertical direction, the multiple supports configured to support a second surface of the conveyance belt. A longitudinal direction of each of the multiple supports is parallel to a direction intersecting the conveyance direction, and the multiple supports are arrayed in the conveyance direction.

A sheet processing machine has at least one shaping device and at least one sheet delivery unit, arranged downstream of the at least one shaping device along a transport path provided for a transport of sheets. The at least one shaping device has at least one shaping point which is formed by at least one forme cylinder, on one hand, and at least one impression cylinder, on the other hand. At least one separation device, for removing scrap pieces from sheets, is arranged downstream of the at least one shaping point along the transport path provided for the transport of sheets. The at least one separation device has at least one separation transport device. At least one transport device, configured as a selective transport device, is arranged following the at least one separation transport device along the transport path provided for the transport of sheets. The transport device is configured as at least one upper suction transport device for a hanging transport of sheets.

A quality control station (2) for a sheet element processing machine, the station having at least one camera (6) arranged for capturing images of sheet elements (4) transported through the quality control station (2), and further having a camera calibration system (10). The camera calibration system (10) having a target holder (12) for holding an optical target (14), and a drive (15) for the target holder (12). The drive (15) is adapted for displacing the target holder (12) between a rest position, in which it is outside of the viewing area (7) of the camera (6), and a calibration position in which it is arranged in the viewing area (7) of the camera (6).

Provided is a pile preparation unit for changing a pallet support of a pile of sheets with a first end and a second end where the pallet has a support side supporting the pile of sheets at the first end. The pile preparation unit may include a rotation unit configured with an infeed opening for receiving a pallet with a pile of sheets, the rotation unit configured with a rotating structure to rotate a lift unit about a rotational axis. The lift unit is configured with a lift structure fixed to the rotating structure and has a lift plate movable along the lift structure to engage with the second end of the pile of sheets and to move and position the pile of sheets transverse, relative to the rotational axis, providing a portal for changing a pallet.

A sheet delivery unit has at least one rear sheet stop. The sheet delivery unit has at least one forward stack limiter. The sheet delivery unit has at least one upper sheet transportation system, designed for hanging transportation of sheets, with at least one imbrication device for the imbricated, hanging transportation of at least two sheets. A sheet processing machine is also disclosed. A method is disclosed for operating a sheet processing machine. Processed substrate in the form of a sequence of sheets spaced apart from one another in a transportation direction, is supplied in this transportation directed to a sheet delivery unit of the sheet processing machine. At least during a sheet braking procedure, at least at times, at least two sheets are guided in a hanging manner by the use of an upper sheet transportation system, configured for the hanging transportation of sheets, of the sheet delivery unit, and are transported in an imbricated arrangement at least also in the transportation direction.

A sheet suction device includes a sheet bearer having a plurality of suction holes, a suction unit, a first member, and a second member. The first member has grooves arranged in a radial direction, and each of the grooves extends in a circumferential direction. The second member has a plurality of hole rows including a plurality of holes. The plurality of holes in each of the plurality of hole rows is arranged in the circumferential direction, and the plurality of hole rows is arranged in the radial direction. When the first member rotates with respect to the second member, the number of holes communicating with the grooves is changed to change the number of the plurality of suction holes communicating with the suction unit. The plurality of holes includes two or more holes that simultaneously communicate with the suction unit when the first member rotates by a unit rotation amount.

There is provided a sheet feeding apparatus. A supporting unit rotatably supports a roll sheet formed by winding a continuous sheet into a roll shape. A first conveying path forming member is placed in a position spaced apart from the roll sheet supported by the supporting unit, and forms a first conveying path of the sheet. A displacing unit includes a guide portion capable of being displaced between a guide position and a retracting position set farther from a start position than the guide position. The guide portion is displaced from the retracting position to the guide position when a leading edge of the sheet separated from the roll sheet supported by the supporting unit is positioned between the guide portion in the retracting position and the start position.