Apparatus for stacking sheet-like products, in particular printed products

An apparatus for producing stacks of sheet-like products, in particular printed products, having a stacking apparatus (10) with a stacking shaft (12), and having a preliminary stacking device (22) which is arranged above the stacking shaft (12) and has a preliminary stacking shaft (24) and base elements (50) which can be moved into and out of the preliminary stacking shaft (24), it being the case that products (30) which are to be stacked to form an intermediate stack (20) are fed to one of the base elements (50) by way of a feed means (28) while an intermediate stack (20) previously formed on a further one of the base elements (50) located beneath is discharged to the stacking shaft (12) by this further base element, wherein a number of base elements (50) are arranged one behind the other along a continuous circulatory path (51), a working portion (85) of the circulatory path (51) runs substantially vertically through the preliminary stacking shaft (24), and a drive arrangement (47) drives the base elements (50) in the working portion (85) in a movement direction (U) oriented from top to bottom such that in each case one of the base elements (50) is moved to the feed means (28) when an intermediate stack (20) is being formed on an immediately preceding base element (50), as seen in the movement direction (U).