To avoid inertia motion of a drive for the lifting mechanism of a lifting device, after the operation motion is cut off.

A drive motor is a universal motor 1, which has one or more stator windings 3b and 3c and one rotor winding 3a connected in series to each other and connected to an AC voltage supply unit 2. One value from among the output AC voltages of the AC voltage supply unit 2 is assigned to each one of respective set operation velocity. Both the connection parts 5a and 5b of the rotor winding 3a can be exchanged in the series-connected windings 3a, 3b and 3c. The windings 3a, 3b and 3c connected in series to each other can be separated from the AC voltage supply unit 2, and then after the exchange of both the connection parts 5a and 5b of the rotor winding, they can be short- circuited.