In many cartoons, a time bomb was often depicted as a bundle of dynamite wired to an alarm clock. I’m not quite sure how exactly this was supposed to work, and seems more of an artistic explanation of “this is a time bomb” than a practical way to make one.
I’m guessing such a device could be rigged to the mechanics of the clock itself. Were time bombs ever built like this in real life?
I Am Not A Mad Bomber.
I don’t know if bombs were ever actually built that way, but the concept is elegant in its simplicity. Without going into “how to make a bomb” detail, let’s just say the action of the clapper hitting the bell can close a circuit.
The major problem is making sure the clapper doesn’t come in contact with the bell before hand.
Wikipedia suggests that an alarm clock is a suitable device to use to trigger an explosion though I imagine more elegant devices could be created using a digital clock to trigger the bomb. One problem with an alarm clock (in my imagination) is that it can only be set to explode a maximum of 24 hours from the time it is deployed. A digital timer could be set to trigger the bomb months from the time it is set, giving you ample time to scarper and any memory of you being in the area (and any CCTV recordings) being lost.
Stop by any survivalist-type place and you’ll find a copy of Improvised Munitions printed by the US Government. In it, you’ll find detailed instructions on how to build a time bomb using an alarm clock and directions on how to use a wristwatch to make on as well. There’s actually a variety of methods by which you can use them, but judging from the fact that it’s a gov’t publication, I’d say that they actually were made that way.
Logic error.
With a mechanical alarm clock of the kind described, 12 hours is the max elapsed time.
From what I remember you have to get a clock with metal hands and electrify them, and you put a screw in the face of the clock somewhere which is connected to the dynamite via wire, somewhere were the minute or hour hand will touch it eventually. When the minute or hour hand touches the screw it completes the circuit and ignites the explosives.
You…sound like a man who knows whereof he speaks, Wes.
You do recall that we’re pals, don’t you?
And, that loud noises bother me?
And, the old classic “bomb” which is black, round, with a fuze sticking out one end, did in fact- exist and was a common item used before the 20th century.
Also known as a grenade.
In addition to being lobbed, they would also be fired from howitzers. Dictionary.com says that they’d be called “grenades” in either capacity, but I thought I’d mention it.
I don’t recall that, I just recall that on May 3rd, 2004 at 3:42pm you insulted me in a thread that shall remain nameless and that the anniversary of that date is coming up.
IIRC, the reason the round black bomb with the fuze sticking out became the classic depiction is because the bombs used by 19th Century Anarchists and their ilk looked like this.
Oddly enough, I was looking at this post at exactly 3:42 PM.
I was thinking my eyes were playing tricks…
Hmm. My computer’s clock is not in sync with The Doper Clock. Nonetheless…
What makes me kind of laugh is the idea in the movies that “time bombs” will tick, as if any mad bomber who isn’t totally stupid wouldn’t use something that doesn’t make noise.
And the fuze was of a type that burned at a known rate. The fuze usually had marks on it for time in seconds or other convenient division. It would be stuck in and lighted at a length of the estimated time of flight on the first shot. Then the effect would be observed and corrections in trajectory and fuze timing made from there as is the case with artillery even today.
For some reason I was under the impression that old mechanical alarm clocks had a button of some sort on the back similar to an AM/PM function on digital alarm clocks that would cause the alarm to go off 12 hours later. Apologies if I was mistaken, it has been known to happen 
So why did they always have BOMB written accross them? 
Education wasn’t so much in effect back in the day.
At least they didn’t put a “cut here to disarm” tag… 
Some may have had such a feature, but none of those I’ve owned or seen have.