1,259,977. Overhead conveyers. DURKOPPWERKE G.m.b.H. 2 May, 1969 [2 May, 1968; 18 Oct., 1968; 20 Dec., 1968], No. 22494/69. Heading B8A. [Also in Division B7] In an overhead conveyer comprising carriages 3 driven along a rail 1, by an endless chain 5 to which the carriages are clamped, between work stations, and having load carriers 8 suspended therefrom, each carriage 3 has a device 6 which determines at which station a load carrier 8 is to be released from the carriage 3, and each work station has a carrier-receiving device AN and a device AG for depositing a carrier 8 on a carriage 3, the devices AN, AG comprising carriersupporting bars 15<SP>1</SP>, 15 movable transversely towards and away from the rail 1. Each carriage 3 has a suspension device 7 clamped to the chain 5 and having pivotal carrier-holding bars 12, 13. The carrier-supporting bars 15<SP>1</SP>, 15 are carried by members 14 pivoted about an axle 41 secured to the rail 1. In operation, a sensing member 9 at the work station co-operates with the determining device. 6 to pivot a lever 10 so that a roller 11 on the lever abuts a part 77 of the suspension device 7 to open the holding bars 12, 13. The carrier 8 thus drops on to the bar 15<SP>1</SP> of the receiving device AN, which bar 15<SP>1</SP> pivots away from the rail 1 under the carrier weight. The carrier is later transferred to the bar 15 of the depositing device AG. A button 22 is then pressed so that, as an empty carriage passes the device AG, contacts 24, 25 are closed to activate an air cylinder 16 to pivot the member 14 such that the carrier 8 is picked up by the carriage 3. An index 31 at the device AG is used to transmit destination data to the device 6 and, for this purpose, has teeth which correspond with feelers on the destination device 6, and is pivoted upwards by contact with the carriage 3. In a second embodiment each device AN or AG comprises a manually pivoted member (124, Figs. 3, 4) connected to a locking bar (129) which engages a holding bar (130) on the rail 1 when the member (124) is in its end positions. The locking bar (129) pivotally supports cams (135, 136) operative to lift the bar (129) from engagement with the holding bar (130). In a third embodiment (Figs. 5 and 6), the devices AN, AG comprise a member (226) mounted on a beam (225) which slides in a guide (230).