Method and device for aligning sheets to be printed in a press

The method comprises the steps of feeding from a stack of sheets to be printed the first sheet on a feedboard, aligning the leading edge of the sheet with a preliminary stop line whereby the sheet is brought to a rest position, sucking from below the preliminary aligned sheet and removing the preliminary stop line, forwarding the preliminary aligned and positively coupled sheet in feeding direction to a second stop line and relieving the suction whereby the leading edge of the sheet is finally aligned and a successive sheet is fed to the first stop line or the preliminary alignment of its leading edge, laterally adjusting the register of the first sheet abutting against the second stop line, removing the second stop line and advancing the first sheet into the press. The device for carrying out the above alignment process includes a feedboard having at its end front stops and at its central portion openings for preliminary front stops and elongated openings for reciprocating suction cups and furthermore lateral alignment devices arranged between the preliminary front stop and the final front stops. The drive of the preliminary front stop is effected through spring biased double-cam mechanism driven by a single revolution cam shaft.