Work carrier for gravity conveyors

In combination with a conveyor of the type having a pair of longitudinally extending side rails connected together in transversely spaced apart relation and support means disposed between said side rails and providing a support surface disposed at a level below the upper edges of said side rails, a workpiece carrier comprising a means defining a hollow circular cylindrical metal shell which is open at both ends and nonmetallic insert fixed therein, said shell extending at its opposite ends to at least the ends of said insert so that at its opposite ends the axially outermost portion of the carrier is defined by at least an annular metal surface, each end of said shell lying in a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the shell, said insert having an axial bore extending threrthrough which is coaxial with said shell, said shell and said insert being symmetrical both radially and axially about the midpoint of the axis of the bore of said insert, the axially central portion of said bore being cylindrical and of uniform circular shape whereby a workpiece can be supported by the insert by inserting the workpiece into either end of said bore and the carrier can be supported on said support means with its axis extending horizontally or vertically, and support means engaging the metallic outer peripheral surface of said shell forming means when the carrier is supported with its axis extending horizontally and the support means engaging either of said annular metal surfaces when the carrier is supported with its axis extending vertically.