Patent ID: 7357390

Claim:
A device for aligning sheets transversely with respect to a sheet running direction comprising: a sheet support including a side register mark; a suction roller positioned at a fixed distance above said sheet support during transverse alignment of the sheets and having a length and a longitudinal axis of rotation both extending in the sheet running direction; means for driving said suction roller for continuous rotation about said longitudinal axis of rotation through less than one revolution during engagement of said suction roller with each successive sheet to be aligned against said side register mark; and a plurality of sheet holding surface segments spaced from each other on a circumference of said suction roller, each said sheet holding surface segment having a longitudinal distance in the sheet running direction, and having a transverse distance in a direction of said circumference of said suction roller and transverse to the sheet running direction, said longitudinal distance of said sheet holding surface segment of said suction roller being greater than said transverse distance of said sheet holding surface segment by a ratio of at least 3 to 1, said transverse distance being less than said circumference of said suction roller, successive ones of said sheet holding surface segments spaced on said circumference of said suction roller being in engagement with successive ones of the sheets supported on said sheet support to move each successive sheet on said sheet support transversely to said sheet running direction and into engagement with said side register mark.