PURPOSE: To convey out an article without any distortion by locking a horizontally oscillating member, which is provided with freely and horizontally oscillational suckers, in a moving member arranged in a carriage freely movably in the forward/backward direction is such a state that a virtual vertical plane including tips of suckers is perpendicular to the backward/forward direction.

CONSTITUTION: Multiple suckers 44 connected to a sucking device are arranged on a face, which dose not face an oscillating arm 28 in a vertically oscillating member 41, in a slight area freely oscillationally in the optional direction, and plural pressing pieces 45, which are slightly retracted from the suckers 44, are arranged. An article transfer device is provided with a vertical holding member 29 arranged in a carriage freely movably forward/backward, a horizontal oscillating member 31 arranged in the vertical holding member 29 freely and horizontally oscillationally, and a device 33 locking a horizontal oscillating member 31 under the condition, in which a virtual vertical plane including tips of plural suckers 44 arranged in the horizontal oscillating member 31 is perpendicular to the forward/backward direction. The horizontal oscillation of the horizontal oscillating member 31 is stopped, so that the article can be taken out without any distortion in the lateral direction.