A sheet material processing unit (20, 22, 24) comprises a transport system (32) for transporting sheets (12) or parts thereof from a respective input end (20i, 22i, 24i) to a respective output end (20o, 22o, 24o). A gripper unit (46) is releasably coupled to the transport system (32) and is configured for holding at least a part of one of the sheets (12). Additionally, at least one handover mechanism (47d, 47r) is provided being configured for decoupling the gripper unit (46) from the transport system (32) and providing the gripper unit (46) to a neighboring sheet material processing unit (20, 22, 24) and/or receiving a gripper unit (46) from a neighboring sheet material processing unit (20, 22, 24) and coupling the received gripper unit (46) to the corresponding transport system (32). Additionally, a sheet material processing machine (10) is presented which comprises at least two such sheet material processing units (20, 22, 24).

A sheet material processing unit (20, 22, 24) comprises a transport system (32) for transporting sheets (12) or parts thereof from a respective input end (20i, 22i, 24i) to a respective output end (20o, 22o, 24o). A gripper unit (46) is releasably coupled to the transport system (32) and is configured for holding at least a part of one of the sheets (12). Additionally, at least one handover mechanism (47d, 47r) is provided being configured for decoupling the gripper unit (46) from the transport system (32) and providing the gripper unit (46) to a neighboring sheet material processing unit (20, 22, 24) and/or receiving a gripper unit (46) from a neighboring sheet material processing unit (20, 22, 24) and coupling the received gripper unit (46) to the corresponding transport system (32). Additionally, a sheet material processing machine (10) is presented which comprises at least two such sheet material processing units (20, 22, 24).

In some examples, a sheet processing machine includes at least one transport means of an infeed system, and the infeed system includes at least one cam mechanism including, in each case, at least one cam disk having an axis of rotation. At least one scanning element is arranged in each case to rest against the at least one cam disk. The at least one scanning element is connected to the at least one transport means via at least one drive lever. The at least one drive lever in each case has at least one mounting point. The mounting point and the axis of rotation may be adjusted relative to one another, and a position displacement of the mounting point relative to the axis of rotation may compensate for at least one position error of the at least one sheet.

In some examples, a sheet processing machine includes at least one transport means of an infeed system, and the infeed system includes at least one cam mechanism including, in each case, at least one cam disk having an axis of rotation. At least one scanning element is arranged in each case to rest against the at least one cam disk. The at least one scanning element is connected to the at least one transport means via at least one drive lever. The at least one drive lever in each case has at least one mounting point. The mounting point and the axis of rotation may be adjusted relative to one another, and a position displacement of the mounting point relative to the axis of rotation may compensate for at least one position error of the at least one sheet.

A sheet conveying device includes a tray, a conveyor, and a guide body. The tray is configured to stack a sheet. The conveyor is configured to convey the sheet to the tray. The guide body has a space, a height of the space being greater than a thickness of the sheet. The guide body is configured to guide the sheet conveyed by the conveyor, with a leading end of the sheet being inserted in the space. The guide body is configured to separate the sheet from the space, according to a difference of a sheet conveying speed of the conveyor and a moving speed of the guide body, and to stack the sheet on the tray.

A sheet conveying device includes a tray, a conveyor, and a guide body. The tray is configured to stack a sheet. The conveyor is configured to convey the sheet to the tray. The guide body has a space, a height of the space being greater than a thickness of the sheet. The guide body is configured to guide the sheet conveyed by the conveyor, with a leading end of the sheet being inserted in the space. The guide body is configured to separate the sheet from the space, according to a difference of a sheet conveying speed of the conveyor and a moving speed of the guide body, and to stack the sheet on the tray.

The invention relates to a gripper bar body for a gripper bar in a gripper carriage arrangement in a machine for treating sheet material, the gripper bar body being configured to carry gripper brackets for movement between sheet gripping and sheet releasing positions. The gripper bar body is formed as a hollow structure comprising at least two different materials, the two different materials comprising at least a metal material and a composite material and the at least two different materials being at least partly arranged in a superposed manner. The resulting bar has a better resistance to wear than the ones of the state-of-the-art.

A transport device includes: a first transport body; a second transport body that is movable between a contact position and a separate position with respect to the first transport body and that nips a transported material with the first transport body at the contact position; and a transport section that includes a holder to hold a leading end portion of the transported material and that transports the transported material toward a nip region where the first transport body and the second transport body nip the transported material in a state in which the second transport body is located at the separate position. After holding of the leading end portion by the holder for the transported material transported by the transport section has been released, the second transport body nips the transported material with the first transport body and transports the transported material.

A transport device includes: a first transport body; a second transport body that is movable between a contact position and a separate position with respect to the first transport body and that nips a transported material with the first transport body at the contact position; and a transport section that includes a holder to hold a leading end portion of the transported material and that transports the transported material toward a nip region where the first transport body and the second transport body nip the transported material in a state in which the second transport body is located at the separate position. After holding of the leading end portion by the holder for the transported material transported by the transport section has been released, the second transport body nips the transported material with the first transport body and transports the transported material.

An image forming apparatus includes: a circulating member that is a part of a transport path that transports a recording medium; a holding member that is fixed to the circulating member, circulates, and holds a leading end portion of the recording medium; an image forming section that forms an image on the recording medium at an image forming position in a circulation path of the circulating member; and a feeding section that feeds out the recording medium to a holding position where the holding member holds the leading end portion of the recording medium. When a circulation velocity Vg is defined as a velocity at which the circulating member circulates the holding member, a transport velocity of the recording medium is reduced from a first transport velocity V1, which is higher than the circulation velocity Vg, to a second transport velocity V2, which is lower than the first transport velocity V1, before the leading end portion of the recording medium enters the holding position.