Abstract: A motorized improved winch for raising and lowering, for example, theater scenery by means of cables and which incorporates a tubular support enclosure for supporting and housing a moving drum and the required components for emergency braking and for moving the drum in synchronization with relation to the cable guiding means, preferably mounted on the tubular support enclosure, and for driving the electrical sensors (limit switches and encoder) if desired. The winding and unwinding of the cables on or off the drum does not change the cable runs relative to the cable guiding means. The improved winch can be used in theaters and can be installed at the sides of the stage, up at the stage gridiron, or above the gridiron. With this improved winch counterweights are unnecessary. The improved winch is compact and can be easily manufactured.