Patent ID: 8499653

Claim:
An electromechanical actuator comprising: a drive housing connected to a motor for rotational motion; a screw and actuating nut, the actuating nut having a plurality of engagement bosses; a drive coupling concentrically received within the drive housing and having a plurality of segments equal to the plurality of engagement bosses, each segment having a cavity to receive a respective one of the engagement bosses, the segments cooperatively positionable from an active position radially compressed to engage the bosses within the cavities to a released position radially expanded to disengage the bosses from the cavities; wherein each segment in the drive coupling has first and second opposing grooves in circumferential alignment; and, a plurality of push plates, each push plate received for sliding motion in the first groove and second groove, respectively, of adjacent segments of the plurality of segments, said push plates having a first position retaining the segments in the active position and a second position releasing the segments into the released position.