I just refurbished a CM 3-ton puller. Does anyone know the purpose of
the "Weston brake system" on these pullers?

http://tinyurl.com/69mhb

From what I can see it really has no purpose on the load itself, it's
only purpose seems to be to provide enough friction so that when the
puller is in freewheeling mode the chain doesnt start coming out of the
hoist on its own by gravity and bonking you on the head. However, the
sales literature seems to imply it has more function that that -
"positive load control". What is that?

Aloha, Russell