Linear locking seat belt retractor

Mechanism for retracting a vehicle seat belt and locking the belt against extension includes a track mounted on the vehicle body and a belt carriage mounted on the track for movement in the belt extending and retracting directions. A locking pawl is mounted on the belt carriage and is selectively actuatable to a locked position engaging teeth on the track to lock the belt carriage against belt extending movement. A spring biases the carriage in the belt retracting direction. An actuating element extends alongside the track and is mounted for rotary movement into engagement with the locking pawl to move the locking pawl to the locked position. A pendulum supports the actuating element in a normal position and rotates the actuating element in response to a sensed condition of vehicle deceleration to actuate the locking means and thereby lock the carriage against belt extending movement along the track.