Hold down mechanisms with delayed release

A hold down mechanism, comprising:

• a housing having a first end and a second end, and an internal cavity;
• a heating element positioned inside the internal cavity;
• an actuator rod passing between a first opening in the first end of the housing and a second opening in the second end of the housing, and able to move along an axis passing between the first opening and the second opening;
• a locking material inside the cavity and in contact with at least a portion of the actuator rod, wherein the locking material is able to hold the actuator rod in a hold position when the locking material is in a solid state, and wherein the locking material is able to allow for movement of the actuator rod when the locking material is heated by the heating element to a temperature above a melting point of the locking material;
• and
• a spring positioned external to the housing and connected to the actuator rod, the spring able to apply a bias force to the actuator rod when the actuator rod is not in a released position with respect to the housing, wherein the actuator rod when in the hold position is caused to move to the released position when the locking material is heated to at least the melting point and allows for movement of the actuator rod.