Cable stabilizer for open shaft cable operated elevators

Claim 1

In combination with an outdoor, open shaft elevator having a pair of space vertical guide rails each extending in a straight line for the full length thereof, an elevator compartment positioned between said pair of spaced vertical rails, and a plurality of vertically extending cables attached to the top of said elevator compartment for raising and lowering said elevator compartment between a bottom level and a top level; a stabilizing apparatus comprising: A. a pair of opposed stops carried on said pair of spaced vertical guide rails at an intermediate location substantially half way between said bottom level and said top level; B. guide means including a pair of opposed rows of grooved rollers being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the diameter of each of said plurality of vertically extending cables so as to allow said plurality of vertically extending cables to pass therethrough and being substantially encircled by said grooved rollers to restrict horizontal movement thereof in all directions; C. a pair of spaced tubular members supporting said pair of opposed rows of rollers midway between the ends of said pair of spaced tubular members; D. bracket means attached to each end of said pair of spaced tubular members and adapted to engage said pair of opposed stops; and E. spaced tapered members carried by said elevator compartment and adapted to wedge between said pair of spaced tubular members when said eLevator compartment is raised above said intermediate location and to disengage from said pair of spaced tubular members when said elevator compartment is lowered below said intermediate location; F. whereby said stabilizing apparatus prevents said elevator compartment when at said bottom level from moving vertically as the result of said plurality of vertically extending cables normally swaying horizontally in the wind.