actuated independently of the drive of the transport belt 26 the accelerating station 27 has at least one transport belt 29 which is configured as a u201c suction belt u201d and can be loaded with vacuum as a function of the sheet which is to be accelerated at least one second accelerating station 31 is disposed behind the first accelerating station 27 the second accelerating station 31 has a drive 32 and includes substantially at least one transport belt 33 which can be loaded with vacuum a transport station 34 which is disposed behind the second accelerating station 31 has a number of suction belts 36 which are spaced apart next to one another can be driven jointly through the use of a drive 30 at the speed of the sheet processing machine and support and transport the sheet 7 to be fed over its entire width until the latter is gripped by gripper devices 35 of a feed cylinder 25 the suction belts 36 can be loaded jointly with vacuum and it is possible for the loading with vacuum to be controlled synchronously with the sheet processing machine the transport belt 29 of the first accelerating station is configured in such a way that it can be adjusted obliquely and displaced laterally in order to align the sheet 7 to be fed in order to grip a side edge of the sheet 7 a sensor 37 is provided which can be set to the transverse format to be processed and is disposed in the region of the first aligning station 27 in the sheet transport direction two further sensors 38 39 detect the front or leading sheet edge of the sheet 7 approximately at the same height and at the same instant as the sensor 37 and after.