Chain conveyor reducing longitudinal contact pressure between conveyed articles

In a conveyer for articles comprising two chains running in parallel to each other, articles are supported by rollers rotatably supported on rods having pins at their ends which pivotally connect the adjacent links of the chains. The conveyor structure is light in weight, and damage to rollers is avoided because rollers on adjacent rods cannot contact each other as the return run travels over convex supporting plates. On each chain, link plates of either the inner or outer links, on the side of the chain adjacent to the rollers, are formed with outwardly projecting flat surfaces which are substantially at the same height as the article carrying peripheral surfaces of the rollers. These outwardly projecting flat surfaces allow convenient lateral transfer of articles from one conveyor to another by means of transfer guides.