regarded in the direction of web travel fig3 shows a plan view of a contact pressure device in which three rows of contact pressure elements 16 17 and 18 are provided these contact pressure elements 16 17 and 18 are each provided with a pair of pressure pockets 24 and 25 instead of a single pressure pocket 19 or 20 as in the preceding example this improves transverse stability the individual contact pressure elements 16 17 and 18 can also be provided with a plurality of pressure pockets or recesses arranged sequentially in the direction of web travel for the purposes of improving stability these pressure pockets or recesses 24 and 25 may be connected with the same pressure chamber 12 or 14 by separate conduits or bores furthermore the contact pressure elements of the individual rows are arranged close together in the transverse direction so that only narrow gaps or interstices 26 27 and 28 arise between the individual contact pressure elements 16 17 and 18 these gaps or interstices 26 27 and 28 are furthermore shifted in relation to one another such that the contact pressure elements 16 17 and 18 of the various rows overlap in their transverse extent furthermore the contact pressure or pressing force once again increases in the direction of web travel from row to row i e it successively increases from the row of contact pressure elements 16 to the row of contact pressure elements 17 and the row of contact pressure elements 18 in this.