Abstract: A friction brake for a louvered structure having a plurality of slats pivotally interconnected between opposed stiles of a rectangular frame is described. The friction brake is a flat arm having a pair of spaced apertures. One of the apertures is dimensioned to receive a cylindrical sleeve of a connector which is secured to a pivot rod of a slat and the other aperture is dimensioned for friction fit about the cylindrical sleeve connected to the pivot rod of an adjacent slat whereby to arrest the connector and all the slats. All of the slats are interconnected together by a longitudinal slat interconnecting member which is pivotally connected to all of the slat connectors whereby when any slat is positioned to a desired slat angle all of the other slats will move in unison to that desired angle and be retained thereat by the friction retention of the second aperture of the friction brake about the cylindrical sleeve of one of the slats. Two or more friction brakes can be mounted in a stile.

Abstract: A slat tensioning mechanism is provided for holding interconnected slats of a louver assembly in a desired angulated position. The slat tensioning mechanism comprises a housing having wheel positioning means for rotationally receiving a bearing wheel. The bearing wheel has an outer circumferential flat wall, and hub means adapted for securement to an end connector of a slat, whereby the bearing wheel and the slat rotate together. A tensioning arm assembly is pivotedly engaged to the housing and has an arm disposed at a predetermined location with respect to the outer circumferential flat wall of the bearing wheel. The arm has a friction surface at a free end thereof for applying a pressure on the outer circumferential flat wall of the bearing wheel for frictionally arresting the bearing wheel at the desired position. The slat tensioning mechanism is adapted to be disposed in an upright of the louver assembly.

Abstract: A louver assembly is comprised of two or more louvers, each of the louvers having pivot connections at opposed ends thereof, with the pivot connections pivotally securing the louvers between opposed stiles of a shutter frame for pivoting motion of the louvers in the frame. Each louver has a connector secured to a common longitudinal side edge thereof. Each connector has a cavity with a connector rod extending thereacross and extending co-extensively to the longitudinal axis of its associated louver. Each connector rod has at least one engageable rib on an outer surface thereof. A control rod is provided with two or more transverse connecting arms each having a connecting end recess. Each end recess has a plurality of indentations formed at a predetermined location in a curved clamping inner face thereof for receiving the rib of a respective connector rod captive therein by clamping pressure of the connecting arms about the connector rod to angulate the louvers at a desired angle.

Abstract: A shutter frame member is comprised of an elongated plastic extruded body element having opposed parallel longitudinal side edges in which is formed a connector for removable connection thereto of an elongated edge adaptor. The connecting cavity is provided with a plurality of elongated connecting channels on opposed side surfaces thereof. The edge adaptor is provided with a flange which has ribs for selective engagement with the channels provided in the elongated edge cavity of the body whereby to provide an adjustment of the width of the shutter frame member.