Abstract: A hand-operated hoist which hoists or hauls a load by operation of a hand-operated driving member to drive a drive shaft such that a sheave shaft having a load sheave is driven to move a load chain engageable therewith. The drive shaft is axially movable and a clutch mechanism is provided which controls, through the axial movement of the drive shaft, the freely rotatable condition of the sheave shaft such that, when the load sheave bears no load, the hand-operated driving member is reversely rotated to allow the sheave shaft to be freely rotatable.