A container raising/lowering conveyance apparatus including four gripping raising/lowering bodies (45a to 46b) capable of being respectively horizontally fitted to and detached from four corners of an article-conveyance container, having a configuration where a supporting structure, supporting the four gripping raising/lowering bodies (45a to 46b) so that the gripping raising/lowering bodies are capable of being raised and lowered, is provided with - an X-direction drive means, by which the four gripping raising/lowering bodies (45a to 46b) are moved closer to and away from each other synchronously and symmetrically with respect to a Y-direction center line, among the Y-direction center line and an X-direction center line, passing through a center position of a right-angled parallelogram surrounded by the four gripping raising/lowering bodies (45a to 46b) and being parallel to respective side edges of said right-angled parallelogram, and - a Y-direction drive means, by which the four gripping raising/lowering bodies (45a to 46b) are moved closer to and away from each other synchronously and symmetrically with respect to the X-direction center line, and by both the X-direction drive means and the Y-direction drive means, the right-angled parallelogram surrounded by the four gripping raising/lowering bodies (45a to 46b) is enlarged and shrunk without being changed in the center position and in orientation, wherein the supporting structure is provided with a pair of main movable bases (21a and 21b) positioned symmetrical to each other with respect to a Y-direction center line and capable of moving closer to and away from each other in the X direction, a pair of secondary movable bases (30a to 31b), positioned symmetrical to each other with respect to an X-direction center line and capable of moving closer to and away from each other in the Y direction, are provided on each of the main movable bases (21a and 21b), the gripping raising/lowering bodies (45a to 46b) are supported respectively by the four secondary movable bases (30a to 31b) so as to be capable of being raised and lowered and be positioned between the pair of main movable bases (21a and 21b), the X-direction drive means is configured to move the pair of main movable bases (21a and 21b) closer to and away from each other symmetrically and synchronously, and the Y-direction drive means is configured to move each of the pairs of secondary movable bases (the pair 30a and 30b and the pair 31a and 31b) closer to and away from each other symmetrically and synchronously, characterised in that the X-direction drive means includes a Y-direction pair of winding transmission bodies (timing belts (23a and 23b)) stretched along the X direction on the supporting structure so as to be adjacent to both end portions in the Y direction of the pair of main movable bases (21a and 21b) and a motor driving both of the winding transmission bodies (timing belts (23a and 23b)) to rotate forward and in reverse in synchronization, and both Y-direction end portions of one main movable base are coupled to path portions of the Y-direction pair of winding transmission bodies (timing belts (23a and 23b)) that turn in the forward direction, and both Y-direction end portions of the other main movable base are coupled to path portions of the Y-direction pair of winding transmission bodies (timing belts (23a and 23b)) that turn in the reverse direction. - an X-direction drive means, by which the four gripping raising/lowering bodies (45a to 46b) are moved closer to and away from each other synchronously and symmetrically with respect to a Y-direction center line, among the Y-direction center line and an X-direction center line, passing through a center position of a right-angled parallelogram surrounded by the four gripping raising/lowering bodies (45a to 46b) and being parallel to respective side edges of said right-angled parallelogram, and - a Y-direction drive means, by which the four gripping raising/lowering bodies (45a to 46b) are moved closer to and away from each other synchronously and symmetrically with respect to the X-direction center line, and