Jacob's ladder (toy)

Jacob's ladder as a toy is known which consists of a plurality of equal-sized blocks ( flat blocks ) which are connected together by bands. The blocks are usually made of wood or plastic, the bands are often made ​​of fabric. The construction allows a movement which produces a similar effect apparent cascade.

Cascade

Holding the Jacob's ladder on the narrow sides of the uppermost block firmly so that it hangs vertically, and performs a rotary movement with the wrist of like trying to lift the block which holds, in addition to the second from the top, it seems the second highest block falling by gravity acting on the other side and mutually durchzuhangeln through all the blocks down. The cascade arises when one performs the folding movement repeated alternately. It is an optical illusion, the design and movement produce only a rotation of the blocks, the illusion is created by pulse - disclosure.

Construction

The bands are secured to the blocks, that each two adjacent blocks can rotate around. The same mechanism uses the Rubik's Magic, where the threads are but diagonally and very closely tensioned so that even the flat blocks must fold, neither the optical illusion nor the effect of gravity are of interest. Noteworthy here is the adaptation in two dimensions, instead of the linear one-dimensional array of the conventional Jacob's ladder.

Concept formation and history

Since the cascade is terminated only by lack of interest of the performer, but the cascade can potentially continue indefinitely, you could see here a reference to the Christian legend of Jacob's ladder, in which the difference between transcendence and the world is symbolized by an infinitely long conductor.

The principle of the toy has been known since at least the 18th century, both in Europe and in America. Acquaintance with it was marketing the Rubik's Magic in the 1980s.