Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Ausrichten von Medien

A media retaining and registration apparatus retains and aligns media by pulling the media to a registration location rather than pushing the media to registration in preparation for finish processing of the media, including stapling, hole punching, binding or the like. The apparatus includes a holding bed adapted to receive media thereon; a registration wall disposed adjacent the holding bed for providing an alignment reference area for the media on the holding bed; at least one finger movably disposed adjacent the registration wall; and, means for moving the at least one finger such that contact is made with a surface of the media in the holding bed for pulling and positioning the media adjacent the registration wall. The finger is disposed on a rotatable shaft adjacent the registration wall, and is configured to contact and retain the media in the holding bed and also pull the media in the holding bed to the registration wall as the shaft is rotated. Upon further rotation of the shaft, the finger is configured to slide over the media and rotate around to capture and slidably retain an edge of a next media received by the holding bed. Preferably, the finger is formed of an elastomer material.