Abstract: To prevent impact shock of copy elements formed as a single sheet or package of sheets, against grippers of a gripper cylinder which operates at a slower speed than the arrival speed of the copy elements, the grippers of the gripper cylinder engage the leading edges of the arriving copy elements, deflect the leading edges below the plans of arrival and carry the leading edges about the circumference of the gripper cylinder to thereby convert kinetic energy inherent in the copy elements into energy required to cause bending stresses in the copy elements as they are bent about the gripper cylinder, the copy elements, upon rotation of the gripper cylinder, being turned or flipped over, with the trailing edge being guided by sheet-metal guide elements or the like; the sheets are delivered to a delivery apparatus operating at a slower speed than the incoming speed, for example in imbricated or shingled form upon opening of the grippers and delivering the copy elements to the delivery transport belt system upon ali