In Fig. 2 are shown the three upper blocks of the series, 1, 2, and 3, and their connecting tapes, the blocks being represented as transparent and separated from each other a short distance to show the arrangement of the connections. Block 1 has attached to it three tapes, a, b, b. The tape, a, is attached to the face of the block at the center, at the upper end, and extends over the rounded end of the this block and under the rounded end of block 2. The tapes, b, b, are attached to the face of block 1, extending downwardly under the lower end of this block and upwardly over the upper end of block 2. The tape, a, which is attached to the center of the upper face of block 2, extends over the end of this block, downward underneath, the block, and over the upper end of block 3, where it is secured. This arrangement of tapes is observed throughout the entire series.

In Fig. 2, block 2 is represented as falling away from block 1. When block 2 reaches block 3, the tape, a, will be parallel with the face of block 3, and the latter will be free to fall in a right-handed direction in the same manner as block 2 is falling in a left-handed direction. When block 3 is parallel with block 4, the fourth block will fall over in the left-handed direction.

The blocks, which are of pine, are each 3 5/8 inches long, 2 3/8 inches wide, and 1/4 inch thick. The tapes, which are each 4 3/4 inches long and 3/16 wide, are fastened at their ends to the blocks by means of glue and by a small tack driven through each end of the tape, as shown.

— "Jacob's Ladder", Scientific American, Vol. 61, No. 15 (October 1889)