Seatbelt retractor for a vehicle safety belt

A belt retractor comprising a frame (10), a belt reel (12) which is rotatably arranged in the frame (10) and can receive a seat belt (14), at least one load limiter (16) which enables the belt reel (12), when it overcomes a braking torque provided by the load limiter (16), to rotate relative to the frame (10) so as to release seat belt (14), and a switchable clutch (26) including a switching cage (22) and coupling elements (24), wherein the switching cage (22) is shifted, by an actor (28), from an open position in which the coupling elements (24) are maintained disengaged from the belt reel (12) to a closed position in which the coupling elements (24) engage the belt reel (12), wherein an actuator (38) is arranged to be rotated relative to the frame and the belt reel by the actor (28), and wherein a freewheel (40) directly couples the switching cage (22) to the actuator (38) so that the actuator (38) and the switching cage rotate together relative to the frame and belt reel and the actuator shifts the switching cage (22) from the open position to the closed position when the actuator rotates relative to the frame and belt reel, the freewheel permitting rotation of the switching cage relative to the actuator in a first direction and preventing rotation of the switching cage relative to the actuator in a second direction opposite the first direction.