Ratchet Holdbacks operate silently at conveyor shaft speeds. Its pawl never touches the ratchet except when the direction of the shaft rotation is reversed. The pawl operating cradle, with its high center of gravity causes the pawl to engage with the ratchet when the shaft on which it is mounted tries to reverse.This cradle, resting on brake lining covered hubs, continuously maintains the pawl in a disengaged position when the shaft is rotating in the normal operating direction. This backstop is designed for slow speed shafts and should be mounted on the conveyor head shaft.