PURPOSE: To load works into a work receiving hook by positioning the work receiving hook at a refuge position, at a work holding position through the contact with a hook extending means in rising state, and performing positioning by stopping the operation of the hook extending means by the control by a positioner according to the rising height of the hook extending means.

CONSTITUTION: When each elevation means 8 is rising-driven, the back surface 4c of a work receiving hook 4 on the lower stage which is positioned in a refuge apparatus is pushed up by a pressing roller 5a, and the work receiving hook 4 is turned against the urging force of a weight part 4d, and the work holding position is changed. When the number of pulses previously set in a hook extending means positioner 9 is integration-calculated at this time, the elevation means 8 stops, and the work receiving hook 4 is kept in the state where a work W can be held by a hook extending means 5, and the work W1 is loaded onto the groove part 4a of the lower-stage work receiving hook 4 by a work loading means. Through the repetition of the similar operations, the works W are loaded in succession onto the intermediate- and upper-stage receiving hooks 4.