PURPOSE: To transfer a sheet material group correctly regardless of a difference in height between a grip finger position and a sheet material group support surface by inclining the grip fingers to bring the forward end of the fingers close to the support surface at a sheet material handling position and opening the grip fingers.

CONSTITUTION: A sheet material transfer apparatus C is on standby with grip fingers 10 opened at a standby position fixed by a sensor S2. The transfer apparatus C is advanced toward a receiving table 2 placing a sheet material group B of a fixed number of sheets thereon, and stopped at an operating position of a sensor S1. Subsequently, an air cylinder is operated to close the grip fingers 10, thereby clamping the sheet material group B, and then the transfer apparatus C is moved to the right at a high speed until it reaches the position of a sensor S3. After that, the apparatus is moved to the left at a low speed as far as the position of a sensor S4. During low-speed movement, a finger support member 14 is inclined with the grip fingers 10 by an air cylinder 23, and when it reaches the sensor S4 position, the grip fingers 10 are opened to place the sheet material group B on a support surface 3.