Automatic timer


 * An automatic timer is a piece of technology in the Generation 1 continuity family.

An automatic timer is a device that has been placed in some combiners to ensure that they separate after a certain amount of time.

Marvel Comics continuity
Piranacon suffers from a serious love of the hunt. It's so intense that he would often spend all of his time hunting a target. After he caught said target, he simply went looking for another target. It became soch a problem that Snaptrap, possibly the most deranged member of the Seacons, was forced to set an automatic timer to ensure that Piranacon would seperate into the Seacons. Despite this one drawback, Megatron, a deranged individual himself, often wished he had more soldiers like Piranacon.

Generation 1 cartoon
While the Terrorcons were working with the Quintessons, the Quints installed an automatic timer to cause Abominus to separate after a certain amount of time, ensure that Abominus didn't get too out of control. Computron fired an energy blast at Abominus to cause him to separate. It is unknown if the Decepticons removed the timer after they returned to them.