Abstract: A pneumatically operated balancing hoist includes a housing forming a gas chamber, an inlet for communicating with the gas chamber, a sliding piston, and a rotatable longitudinally movable cable drum. The rotatable longitudinally movable cable drum contains one or more longitudinal openings which slidably accommodate drive rods. The drive rods impart the rotation of the cable drum to a flywheel. Exterior to the flywheel are rotating brake shoes which contact a stationary braking surface when the rotation of the longitudinally movable cable drum exceeds a predetermined angular acceleration. A conically shaped brake system attached to the flywheel is mechanically engaged to prevent rotation of the cable drum until pressurized gas is supplied to the chamber.