Hoisting apparatus for gripping and lifting a load, e.g., an anode, comprising, - a horizontally aligned lower frame containing movable gripping jaws (3, 4) at each side, each connected to the lower frame by a parallelogram linkage (7, 8) of said hoisting apparatus to allow said clamping jaws (3, 4) to move into a gripping direction, and - an upper frame that can be moved relative to the lower frame in an unlocked state, whereas the upper frame is operatively connected to each gripping jaw (3, 4) by a lever mechanism (9a, 9b) in such a way, that a movement of the upper frame against the lower frame into a lifting direction causes the gripping jaws (3, 4) to move closer together or to move apart from each other to release or to grip a load with a certain clamping force, wherein a lever mechanism (9a, 9b) is assigned to each clamping jaw (3, 4), whereas each lever mechanism (9a, 9b) contains - an angle lever having two lever arms (14a, 14b) originating from a pivot point of said angle lever into different directions, whereas the angle lever is pivotably connected to the lower frame at a pivot point, - a first straight lever running between and pivotably connected to the assigned clamping jaw (3, 4) and to a first lever arm of said angle lever, and - a second straight lever running between and pivotably connected to the upper frame and to a second lever arm of said angle lever wherein the first and second straight levers (13, 15) of each lever mechanism (9a, 9b) are pivotably connected to the respective lever arms (14a, 14b) of said angle levers in such a way, that a first angle (α) between the first straight lever and the first lever arm of said angle lever and a second angle (β) between the second straight lever and the second lever arm of said angle lever each increase upon moving the upper frame apart from the lower frame and each decrease upon moving the upper frame closer to the lower frame in the lifting direction respectively, characterized in that, the first angle (α) and the second angle (β) increase in a similar amount upon moving the upper frame against the lower frame. - a horizontally aligned lower frame containing movable gripping jaws (3, 4) at each side, each connected to the lower frame by a parallelogram linkage (7, 8) of said hoisting apparatus to allow said clamping jaws (3, 4) to move into a gripping direction, and - an upper frame that can be moved relative to the lower frame in an unlocked state, whereas the upper frame is operatively connected to each gripping jaw (3, 4) by a lever mechanism (9a, 9b) in such a way, that a movement of the upper frame against the lower frame into a lifting direction causes the gripping jaws (3, 4) to move closer together or to move apart from each other to release or to grip a load with a certain clamping force, wherein a lever mechanism (9a, 9b) is assigned to each clamping jaw (3, 4), whereas each lever mechanism (9a, 9b) contains - an angle lever having two lever arms (14a, 14b) originating from a pivot point of said angle lever into different directions, whereas the angle lever is pivotably connected to the lower frame at a pivot point, - a first straight lever running between and pivotably connected to the assigned clamping jaw (3, 4) and to a first lever arm of said angle lever, and - a second straight lever running between and pivotably connected to the upper frame and to a second lever arm of said angle lever - an angle lever having two lever arms (14a, 14b) originating from a pivot point of said angle lever into different directions, whereas the angle lever is pivotably connected to the lower frame at a pivot point, - a first straight lever running between and pivotably connected to the assigned clamping jaw (3, 4) and to a first lever arm of said angle lever, and - a second straight lever running between and pivotably connected to the upper frame and to a second lever arm of said angle lever wherein the first and second straight levers (13, 15) of each lever mechanism (9a, 9b) are pivotably connected to the respective lever arms (14a, 14b) of said angle levers in such a way, that a first angle (α) between the first straight lever and the first lever arm of said angle lever and a second angle (β) between the second straight lever and the second lever arm of said angle lever each increase upon moving the upper frame apart from the lower frame and each decrease upon moving the upper frame closer to the lower frame in the lifting direction respectively, characterized in that, the first angle (α) and the second angle (β) increase in a similar amount upon moving the upper frame against the lower frame.