A linear actuator includes a reversible electric motor which drives a spindle via a reduction gear with several stages and an activation element connected with it, and an overload clutch in connection with the first stage or one of the first stages in the reduction gear. The memory contains an operating program that is able to perform at least one operation. In another form, a single length of material is laterally pleated and punched to form a continuous pattern of holes along one edge, and assembled onto a spring or flexible cable which can be wrapped around a rotatable drive shaft. The multi-carrier receiver distributes processing delays among a plurality of received carriers based on a dispersion determined for each carrier. An electronics assembly is disposed in the housing and includes a microprocessor and memory.