Abstract: A hoist for lifting appliances, and more specifically a block-and-pulley arrangement, or a block-and-tackle arrangement. A plurality of pulleys is arranged between two pulley-housing parts. Each of said plurality of pulleys is supported by its own relatively short shaft. Half of the pulley-supporting shafts is supported in the upper pulley-housing part, and the other half of the pulleys is supported by partitions in the lower pulley-housing part. Pairs of partitions in the upper pulley-housing part and pairs of partitions in the lower pulley-housing part are interleaving or out of registry. The load-supporting hook has a shaft which projects vertically through both pulley-housing parts by a bearing, so that it is rotatable relative to the upper pulley-housing part. A load supporting cross-member is arranged in transverse relation to the hook-bearing shaft and the latter projects through its center.