A raising/lowering conveyance device for a container for conveying an article, the raising/lowering conveyance device comprising: at least two container gripping devices (2A, 2B), each container gripping device being capable of freely moving close to and away from the container for conveying an article in a horizontal direction and being operable to be freely raised and lowered, each container gripping device (2A, 2B) including a pinholder-shaped structure having multiple container support pins, wherein each container support pin is capable of freely protruding and retracting in the horizontal direction on a side of the container and is biased and held in a protrusion position, the container support pins being operable to enter a lower side of a downward facing step surface formed on an outside the container, by movement toward the container, and the container support pins being operable to support the container, each container gripping device (2A, 2B) being supported by a columnar support members (6a, 6b) for raising and lowering the container gripping device (2A, 2B), characterized in that an elastic biasing means is disposed between each columnar support member (6a, 6b) and the associated container gripping device (2A, 2B), the elastic biasing means being operable to bias the container gripping device (2A, 2B) in a raising direction, each container gripping device (2A, 2B) being held, by an upward biasing force of the elastic biasing means, at an equilibrium height in equilibrium with a weight of the container gripping device (2A, 2B) so as to be able to be moved vertically with the equilibrium height serving as a center of the movement, and when the container gripping devices (2A, 2B) lift the container, the container gripping devices (2A, 2B) which received a weight of the container are lowered from the equilibrium height and are supported at a fixed height of the columnar support members (6a, 6b). at least two container gripping devices (2A, 2B), each container gripping device being capable of freely moving close to and away from the container for conveying an article in a horizontal direction and being operable to be freely raised and lowered, each container gripping device (2A, 2B) including a pinholder-shaped structure having multiple container support pins, wherein each container support pin is capable of freely protruding and retracting in the horizontal direction on a side of the container and is biased and held in a protrusion position, the container support pins being operable to enter a lower side of a downward facing step surface formed on an outside the container, by movement toward the container, and the container support pins being operable to support the container, each container gripping device (2A, 2B) being supported by a columnar support members (6a, 6b) for raising and lowering the container gripping device (2A, 2B), characterized in that an elastic biasing means is disposed between each columnar support member (6a, 6b) and the associated container gripping device (2A, 2B), the elastic biasing means being operable to bias the container gripping device (2A, 2B) in a raising direction, each container gripping device (2A, 2B) being held, by an upward biasing force of the elastic biasing means, at an equilibrium height in equilibrium with a weight of the container gripping device (2A, 2B) so as to be able to be moved vertically with the equilibrium height serving as a center of the movement, and when the container gripping devices (2A, 2B) lift the container, the container gripping devices (2A, 2B) which received a weight of the container are lowered from the equilibrium height and are supported at a fixed height of the columnar support members (6a, 6b).