To take out a top sheet material surely by providing an elevatable absorbing device for vacuum sucking a fiered top sheet material and the mechanism for side shifting and pressing the top sheet material relative to the next and following sheet material.

It is detected by a proximity sensor 31 for position detection that an elevating mechanism 8 of sucking device is lowered. After a side shift mechanism 27 such as a pusher cylinder is projected to move and about two second is elapsed, an engagingly locking claw 28 shift the top fist sheet material 1 by about 150 mm in a lateral direction in relation to the second sheet and following sheet material 1. Thereafter, the top first sheet material 1 is lifted by the sucking device 10 such as a vacuum sucking pad and meantime a second sheet pressing mechanism 29 such as a pressing cylinder presses the sheet material 1 simultaneously. When the first sheet material 1 is lifted safely, the second sheet pressing mechanism 29 such as pressing cylinder is pulled in form the pressed position and returned to an original state. The sheet material 1 can be lifted, even if it has rough density.