Printing plate handling device

1. A printing plate handling device for gripping a printing plate adjacent to an edge of the printing plate at one of a bent-over leading edge and a bent-over trailing edge of the printing plate, said printing plate handling device comprising:

a mechanism including two opposed clamping side pieces for holding the printing plate in a flat, frictionally-engaged manner along a surface area of the printing plate adjacent to the edge of the printing plate; and

a mechanism for holding the printing plate with a defined register, the mechanism for holding the printing plate with the defined register comprising:

guide pins at both ends of the opposed clamping side pieces, the guide pins being introduceable into guide grooves of a printing plate preparation table so that the printing plate being held ready on the printing plate preparation table is gripped between the opposed clamping side pieces with the defined register, and said guide pins being introduceable into guide grooves of a printing couple so that a printing plate held with the defined register between the opposed clamping side pieces is transferred with the defined register to the printing couple.

2. The printing plate handling device according to claim 1 , wherein said mechanism for the flat, frictionally-engaged holding of the printing plate further comprises spring elements for connecting said opposed clamping side pieces to each other so that said opposed clamping side pieces are pivotable toward each other against a force of the spring elements so that a clamping area defined by said opposed clamping side pieces is opened to permit introduction of the printing plate; and so that said opposed clamping side pieces are pivotable toward each other by the force of the spring elements such that a clamping area for the frictionally-engaged holding of the printing plate which has been introduced into the clamping area is closed.

3. The printing plate handling device according to claim 2 , further comprising elastic contact elements associated with the opposed clamping side pieces within the clamping area for frictionally engaging the printing plate therebetween when the clamping area is closed.

4. The printing plate handling device according to claim 2 , further comprising handles attached to a clamping side piece of the opposed clamping side pieces.

5. The printing plate handling device according of claim 1 , further comprising a handle.

6. The printing plate handling device according to claim 1 , wherein said mechanism has openings for hanging said printing plate handling device on a printing plate transport unit so that the printing plate being held frictionally by said printing plate handling device does not come in contact with the printing plate transport unit.

7. The printing plate handling device according to claim 6 , wherein said openings are located in a clamping side piece of the opposed clamping side pieces.

8. The printing plate handling device according to claim 1 , wherein the printing plate includes one of a bent-over leading and a bent-over trailing edge, and wherein said printing plate handling device additionally comprises a mechanism for holding said frictionally-engaged printing plate in place by a positive-type connection.

9. The printing plate handling device according to claim 8 , wherein said positive-type connection is achieved one of by projecting the bent-over leading edge projecting into a clamping area or by projecting the bent-over trailing edge projecting into the clamping area.

10. The printing plate handling device according to claim 1 , wherein said mechanism for the flat, frictionally-engaged holding of the printing plate includes a suction unit.