Electromechanical release mechanism for body secured to space vehicle

摘要

A connecting strap (18) retains the body against a surface of the vehicle in a normal storage position, with a release knife (20) maintained in a storage position adjacent to the strap. Elastic components (26) bias the knife in a direction tending to cut the strap to release the body. A retaining lever (30) locks the knife into either its storage or its release position. A control member (40), e.g. an electromagnetic device actuated by an electrical signal, selectively releases the lever to pivot about an axis (32) under the biassing force of a second elastic component (42), causing the knife to move to its release position and cut the strap.