A Rube Goldberg machine is a contraption, invention, device or apparatus that is deliberately over-engineered to perform a simple task in a complicated fashion, usually including a chain reaction.The expression is named after American cartoonist and inventor Rube Goldberg (1883–1970).or example, news headlines include Is Rep. Bill Thomas the Rube Goldberg of Legislative Reform? and Retirement 'insurance' as a Rube Goldberg machine.