APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DIVIDING A STACK OF SHEETS INTO REAMS OF A SPECIFIED NUMBER OF SHEETS

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for dividing a stack (2) of sheets into reams (3) of a specified number of sheets, comprising: at least one lifting device (4) having a lifting means (5) for lifting an edge of a ream (3) having a specified number of sheets from the rest of the sheet stack (2); at least one gripping device (8) for transporting a lifted ream (3), said gripping device having a fork (9) and preferably a clamp upper part (10); and a manipulation device (11) for moving the gripping device (8), the manipulation device being connected to the gripping device (8) and/or to the lifting device (4); wherein the fork (9) can be moved into an intermediate space (7) formed between a lifted ream (3) and the rest of the sheet stack (2) and, preferably, the clamp upper part (10) is designed for clampingly holding the edge of the ream (3) between the clamp upper part (10) and the fork (9). According to the invention, the gripping device (8) can be pivoted and/or rotated about at least one spatial axis by means of the manipulation device (11) and/or the lifting device (4) can be pivoted and/or rotated about at least two spatial axes by means of the manipulation device (11).