A raising/lowering conveyance device for a container for conveying an article, the raising/lowering conveyance device comprising: at least two container gripping devices , 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 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 being supported by a columnar support members for raising and lowering the container gripping device , characterized in that an elastic biasing means is disposed between each columnar support member and the associated container gripping device , the elastic biasing means being operable to bias the container gripping device in a raising direction, each container gripping device being held, by an upward biasing force of the elastic biasing means, at an equilibrium height (H3) in equilibrium with a weight of the container gripping device so as to be able to be moved vertically with the equilibrium height (H3) serving as a center of the movement, and when the container gripping devices lift the container , the container gripping devices which received a weight of the container are lowered from the equilibrium height (H3) and are supported at a fixed height of the columnar support members . at least two container gripping devices , 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 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 being supported by a columnar support members for raising and lowering the container gripping device , characterized in that an elastic biasing means is disposed between each columnar support member and the associated container gripping device , the elastic biasing means being operable to bias the container gripping device in a raising direction, each container gripping device being held, by an upward biasing force of the elastic biasing means, at an equilibrium height (H3) in equilibrium with a weight of the container gripping device so as to be able to be moved vertically with the equilibrium height (H3) serving as a center of the movement, and when the container gripping devices lift the container , the container gripping devices which received a weight of the container are lowered from the equilibrium height (H3) and are supported at a fixed height of the columnar support members . <EOS>