Signature gathering machine in which signatures (5) are extracted by an extracting cylinder (32) successively from a hopper (20), released at a register gauge (22), opened by grippers (75) on opposed opening cylinders (24, 26) and then those grippers are opened to drop the signature (5) onto a saddle conveyor (28); wipers (60) rotate with the extracting cylinder (32) and are actuated in timed relation to arrival of the signature (5) at the register gauge (22) so as to force the free edges of the signature (5) into the space between the opening cylinders (24, 26) .