PURPOSE: To automate oiling to pivotal portions of a traction chain on which a plurality of containers for receiving small articles are mounted to travel along an elliptic rail, by detecting a projection on the respective pivotal portions of the chain to operate an oiler.

CONSTITUTION: A warehouse for receiving small articles rotates a drive sprocket 7 by a motor 10 to rotate a traction chain 20 and move a plurality of containers 16 on both inner and outer rails 2, 3 through wheels 19. Then, when a microswitch 24 provided on the outside surface of an end of a guide groove 4 detects a roller 23 engaging the guide groove 4 extending in the moving direction of the container 16 on turning-around traction chain 20, an electromagnetic air valve is opened only for that period. Thus, an oil pump is driven by air pressure so that a proper amount of lubricating oil pumped from a tank is oiled to the respective pivotal portions of the chain 20 through a nozzle 27a.