AN ADJUSTABLE MATTE FOR HANDLING SHEETS IN A PRINTING PRESS AND METHOD OF USING SAME

An apparatus for facilitating handling of sheets in a sheet-fed printing press (155) comprising a matte (130) that is mountable on a cylinder (100). The matte has at least one inflatable pocket (125) for cushioning sheets of printable material as they are passed between two cylinders of the press. At least one valve (135) communicates with the inflatable pocket and controls the quantity of fluid in the inflatable pocket. A number of inflatable pockets can be utilized to provide increased control over various sheet sizes. Further control may be obtained by including a number of valves to independently operate each of the inflatable pockets. Ease of installation and removal is accomplished by incorporated mounting holes along the long axis of the matte. Alternatively, the matte may be arranged on the cylinder by adhesively bonding (tape or glue) the matte to the surface of the cylinder or by arranging the matte on the cylinder with Velcro fasteners. A number of mattes may be combined to form a compound matte resulting in greater resolution and precision. Methods for making as well as using the apparatus are also disclosed. An apparatus for facilitating handling of sheets in a sheet-fed printing press comprising a matte that is mountable on a cylinder. The matte has at least one inflatable pocket for cushioning sheets of printable material as they are passed between two cylinders of the press. At least one valve communicates with the inflatable pocket and controls the quantity of fluid in the inflatable pocket. A number of inflatable pockets can be utilized to provide increased control over various sheet sizes. Further control may be obtained by including a number of valves to independently operate each of the inflatable pockets. Ease of installation and removal is accomplished by incorporated mounting holes along the long axis of the matte. Alternatively, the matte may be arranged on the cylinder by adhesively bonding (tape or glue) the matte to the surface of the cylinder or by arranging the matte on the cylinder with Velcro fasteners. A number of mattes may be combined to form a compound matte resulting in greater resolution and precision. Methods for making as well as using the apparatus are also disclosed. L'invention concerne un dispositif servant à faciliter le transfert de feuilles dans une presse à imprimer à feuilles, qui comprend un support pouvant être monté sur un cylindre. Le support comporte au moins une poche gonflable servant à amortir les fe