To prevent troubles in equipment and the like on the downstream side by confirming whether all of the grasped articles are held without any article slipped off downward or not, even when the articles are fragile or slippery.

This device is provided with pressing apparatuses 34, 35, an article elevation device 2, a lowering detection apparatus 81 controlling the article elevation device 2, and an upper detection apparatus 82 and a lower detection apparatus 83 detecting an article W. Among articles stacked in plural levels, a gap G is formed between the articles W, which are grasped in a level unit, on the upper level side and the articles W below them, and then, the upper detection apparatus 82 and the lower detection apparatus 83 are moved along the gap G so as to check whether there is an article W slipped off downward or not in the articles W on the upper level side, and at the same time, the articles W on the upper level side are unloaded in a level unit.