Abstract: A double-rope winch, which is designed for supporting a load such as a lantern carriage from the top of a high mast, has a primary drum which receives one of the ropes and is provided with driving means to which a winch-operating tool can be connected, and a secondary drum which receives the other rope and is connectable to the primary drum through a linkage including engageable means, so that both drums can be driven together for raising and lowering the load when said drums are connected by the engageable means but so that when the latter is not engaged the primary drum can be driven by itself for balancing the load. The linkage may consist of an endless band passing round both of a pulley keyed to the secondary drum drive shaft and a pulley which is rotatable on the primary drum drive shaft and is provided with dogs which can be drivably engaged or not, as required, by a winch-operating tool applied to the primary drum drive shaft.