To improve operating reliability and reduce rope wear, rope hoisting and lowering devices are provided with one or more novel features. One feature is the provision of an adapter (3) to which accessories (50) can be attached and preferably clipped. Possible accessories are retainers with eyes for attaching hooks and single- or multiple rollers for forming pulley blocks. The adapter in essence comprises a number of slit-like recesses in which are transversely interspersed rod-shaped retaining elements (11, 9). One of these retaining elements (9) can move to allow an accessory (50) to be attached or released. Another feature is the provision on the draw side of a rope stop (102). The rope (103) passes through the rope stop (102) and drives a knurled roller (110). The latter, when the rope reaches a certain speed in the descent direction, couples with a pivoting brake extension (118) via a centrifugal clutch. The rope (103) is then pinched and blocked between the extension (118) and a counterpart (108). A third feature is the provision of guide rollers (36, 37) to ensure that the rope follows a crosssover-free helical path.