Louvre mechanism

• US 6,314,680 B1
• Filed: 06/24/1997
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nomad Handicrafts Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Nomad Handicrafts Pty Limited
• Inventors: Plummer, Ian, Buckwalter, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Redman, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cohen, Curtis A.
• Application Number:
  US08/793,246
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 49/821, 493/36, 494/03, 49/741, 493/62, 494/25, 403/298
• US Class Current: 49/82.1
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/096 operated or interconnected by gearing wing operators with gearing in general E05F11/00

Abstract

A louvre shutter adapted to be assembled from elements forming a kit. The elements are so adapted that the shutter dimensions can vary, enabling the shutter to be installed within a window frame that falls within a predetermined range of sizes. The side rails of the shutter incorporate elongate channels for receiving elongate support members. The support members have a plurality of apertures that journal elongate pinion gears projecting from the louvres. The combination of the support rails, louvres, and pinion gears forms a sub-assembly that can be received within the side rails and top rails of the shutter frame. The support members include channels that receive gear racks. The pinion gears mesh with the gear racks enabling synchronous rotation of the louvres. The pinion gears perform the additional function of operating as spindles for the louvres. The dual functionality of the pinion gears reduces the complexity of component parts in the kit and facilitates assembly.

Claims

1. A louvre shutter assembly kit including a plurality of frame members, a plurality of louvres, first and second support members having a plurality of uniformly and correspondingly spaced apertures, a plurality of pinion gears and at least one gear rack, said frame members, said support members, said louvres and said gear rack being so constructed and arranged that said shutter when assembled can fit a window frame of predetermined size, said frame members being configured to accommodate said support members, said gear rack being operatively located adjacent said first support member and engaged by one end of said pinion gears, said gears, having teeth located at both ends thereof and being operable as spindles for said louvres, each of said pinion gears being fixed at the other end to a first end of one of said louvres and extending axially through one of said apertures of said first support member whereby said first support member supports and journals said louvres within said frame members.

2. A kit as claimed in claim 1 further including a second plurality of pinion gears, each of said second plurality of pinion gears being fixed to a second end of said louvres and extending axially through one of said apertures in said second support member.

3. A kit as claimed in claim 2 further including a second gear rack operatively located adjacent said second support member and wherein said second plurality of pinion gears are of such length as to engage said second gear rack.

4. A kit as claimed in claim 3 wherein said louvres, said first and said second support members, said pinion gears and said gear racks form a self supporting sub-assembly.

5. A kit as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said support members includes an elongate channel portion adjacent said apertures, said channel portion operatively maintaining said gear rack within said member in mesh with said pinion gears.

6. A method of assembling a louvre shutter mechanism such that the louvre shutter mechanism can be located within a window frame, said method including the steps of:

(1) providing a plurality of frame members, a plurality of louvres, at least one gear rack, and first and second support members each having a plurality of apertures and a plurality of elongate pinion gears, which have teeth located at each end of each pinion gear, and are operable as spindles for said louvres;

(2) adjusting the length of said frame members, said support members, said louvres and each said gear rack to fit within said window frame;

(3) securing one of said pinion gears at each end of each of said louvers;

(4) extending said pinion gears axially through the apertures of said first and second support members;

(5) arranging each said gear rack adjacent one of said support members in a position in which each of said gear racks engages said pinion gears; and

(6) placing the arrangement of step (5) within said frame members.

7. A method of assembling a louvre shutter as claimed in claim 6 further including the steps of:

(11) providing a second gear rack; and

(12) locating said second gear rack adjacent said second support member.

8. A louvre shutter assembly adapted to be mounted in an opening in a wall of a building, said assembly comprising:

a. a plurality of spaced apart frame members joined to one another and forming an open space;

b. a plurality of elongate louvres each of which substantially spans said space;

c. a spindle fixed to and extending beyond each of said louvres at opposite ends thereof, each spindle at one end of each of said louvres having unitary pinion gear teeth extending substantially the entire length of said spindle;

d. first and second support members carried by said frame members journaling said spindles for rotation about spaced apart, parallel axes;

e. a toothed rack supported by one of said frame members for sliding movements in each of two opposite directions, said rack having its teeth in mesh with those of each of those spindles having teeth whereby sliding movement of said rack in one direction effects concurrent rotation in the same direction of all of said louvres about their respective axes, and

f. said louvres together being of such length and width as substantially to fill said space when said louvres are rotated to a corresponding selected position.

9. A louvre shutter assembly as claimed in claim 8 wherein said louvres, said first and second support members, said first and second plurality of pinion gears and said gear racks form a self-supporting sub-assembly, said frame members receiving said sub-assembly thereby forming said shutter assembly.

10. The assembly according to claim 8 wherein the width of each of said louvres is such that when said louvres are in said selected position their adjacent edges overlap.

11. The assembly according to claim 8 wherein the support members have separation joints on opposite sides of each axis of rotation of said louvres, each of said axes being closer to an adjacent one of the joints than to the adjacent other of the joints.

12. A louvre shutter assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein at least one of said first and second support members includes an elongate channel portion adjacent said apertures, said channel portion locating said gear rack within said member in engagement with either the first or second plurality of pinion gears.

13. The assembly according to claim 8 including a collar for each toothed spindle carried by said support member and through which each toothed spindle extends, each said collar having an open side overlying and confronting said rack, the teeth of each toothed spindle extending through the opening in the associated collar and meshing with said rack.

14. A louvre shutter assembly adapted to be mounted in an opening in a wall of a building, said assembly comprising:

a. a pair of parallel frame members having a space therebetween;

b. a plurality of louvres each of which spans the space between said pair of frame members;

c. a support carried by one of said frame members and having a plurality of spaced openings therein;

d. an elongate, toothed pinion gear spindle secured to and extending beyond one end of each of said louvres, each said pinion gear spindle extending rotatably through and jounaled in one of the openings in said support for rotation about an axis;

e. a spindle secured to and extending beyond the opposite end of each of said louvres and mounting the associated louvre on the other of said frame members for rotation about said axis;

f. a rack mounted in said one of said frame members for reciprocable linear movements relative thereto,

g. said rack and each of said pinion gear spindles having meshed teeth whereby linear movement of said rack effects concurrent rotation of all of said louvres in the same rotary direction ; and

h. a collar for each pinion gear spindle carried by said support and through which the associated pinion gear spindle rotatably extends,

i. each of said collars having an open side overlying and confronting said rack and through which teeth of each associated pinion gear spindle extends for meshing engagement with teeth of said rack,

j. said louvres together being of such length and width as substantially to fill said space when said louvres are rotated to a corresponding selected position.