Raising and lowering apparatus and transport carriage

A raising and lowering apparatus comprising:

• a push chain comprising:
• a first straight rod part that extends along a first direction;
• a second straight rod part that extends along a second direction which differs from the first direction;
• and a first bent part that is provided between the first straight rod part and the second straight rod part, the push chain being configured to move forward and backward in the first direction and the second direction;
• a stage formed on the first straight rod part and configured to be raised and lowered along the first direction by forward and backward movement of the push chain;
• a guide configured to guide the forward and backward movement of the push chain in at least a portion of the first straight rod part and in the first bent part;
• and
• a sprocket that engages with a portion of the push chain which is on a side closer to the second straight rod part than to the first bent part, the sprocket being configured to drive the push chain to move forward and backward, wherein
• the push chain is a roller chain which has:
• a plurality of pins;
• and a roller that is rotatably fitted to each of the plurality of pins,
• the sprocket is configured such that teeth of the sprocket push the roller to move the push chain forward and backward, and
• the guide has a pair of curved surface parts between which the roller included in the first bent part of the push chain is held.