PURPOSE: To obtain a 90-degree direction shifting apparatus which is capable of holding a packaged item, quickly shifting the direction of a packaged item at 90° and conveying the packaged item in the same direction while the packaged item is kept held, and is applicable to a high-speed packaging line.

CONSTITUTION: Above a belt conveyer 10, a bracket 30 that supports a belt wound mechanism 20 is mounted on a vertical shaft 40 which is movable vertically and rotatable forward and backward at 90°. A packaged item W that is conveyed is stopped by a stopper 50 attached on the bracket 30. In response to a signal detected by a packaged item detector, the conveyer 10 is stopped, the vertical shaft 40 descends, the belt wound mechanism 20 holds the packaged item W, the vertical shaft 40 rotates forward at 90° causing the belt-wound mechanism 20 to shift the direction of the packaged item W at 90°, and the belt conveyer 10 restarts with the packaged item W held by the belt-wound mechanism 20 to deliver the packaged item W.