Abstract: A lift cord safety system for use with a Roman shade type window covering having a head rail, a bottom rail and a shade movable between a raised and a lowered position. At least one lift cord vertically extends down from the head rail toward the bottom rail. A flexible sleeve is associated with and substantially surrounds each lift cord. A set of vertically spaced guides are also associated with each lift cord and are attached to the shade. The sleeve and the lift cord are disposed within each guide of the associated set of vertically spaced guides. A zip tie affixes the sleeve to each guide of the associated set of vertically spaced guides.

Abstract: A shutter panel having a plurality of louvers having a composite construction. Each of the louvers is rotationally coupled to a shutter frame by a drive pin on one end and a support pin on the other end. The drive pins are linked to a rack and pinion louver mechanism for common rotational movement. In operation, the plurality of louvers rotate in unison by a simple manual action applied to a single louver. The drive pin includes a louver engaging end and a frame engaging end. The louver engaging end is a flat plate adapted to slip fit into a complementary slot included in a first end portion of the louver and retained therein by a complementary slot included in a first end portion of the louver and retained therein by interference forces. The slip fitting of the drive pin into the slot creates less stress on the louver and thus reduces the potential of crack initiation in the composite material of the louver.

Abstract: A louver shutter is disclosed which employs generally a plurality of louvers and a frame containing the louvers. The frame includes first and second stiles connected with first and second rails. The louvers have ends rotationally mounted to the rails and have inner and outer facing surfaces. The inner facing surface has a groove extending lengthwise between the louver ends. A plurality of decorative inserts are rigidly attached to a corresponding one of the louvers on the inner facing surface within the groove.

Abstract: Base rail (12) and arch rail (13) frame holds horizontal slats (14). The frame (12, 13) is removable from a window opening for service. The slats (14) are mounted on ladders (17) with notches (31, 32) in the slats for removal individually. The base rail (12) opens down and receives a closure piece removable for access to the mechanism. Guide plates (21) on the arch rail (13) facilitate sliding the ladder cords (18, 19) forward and rearward for tilting the slats (14) without mechanism external to the base rail (12) or arch rail (13), other than the ladder cords (18, 19) themselves. The arch rail (13) inside face is channeled to receive slat ends to obscure direct line of sight through the assembly when the slats (14) are closed. Slat ends are chamfered for tilting the slats (14) without interference with the inner surface of the arch rail (13) when the slats (14) are closed.

Abstract: In all three versions, the bottom rail has a flat, smooth bottom and does not tilt. In two versions, transverse horizontal holes receive ladder cords. In one of these versions, another horizontal hole opening at the rear of the rail extends obliquely into intersection with the transverse hole midway between the front and rear of the rail. A vertical hole extends down from the rail top to this intersection. A lift cord extends down through the vertical hole into the oblique hole where a knot on the lift cord fixes the end of the cord in the oblique hole. In too the other of these two versions, a horizontal transverse hole above each ladder cord hole receives a lift cord which extends out at the front and rear of the bottom rail. These lift cords, and the ladder cords, extend entirely up to the headrail. In this version, each slat has a notch at the front edge and rear edge, receiving the corresponding lift cord and ladder cord.

Abstract: A fan-like array of louvers around a hub in a half-circle shaped frame is adapted to cover a Palladian-style window. Two facing ring gear sectors are slidable in a channel in the hub to turn about an axis that is common to the half-circle, the channel bottom and the arc of the window. A series of pinions has pinion teeth between and engaged with the two gears, each pinion receiving a drive pin therein, each of which has a point directed away from the gear and embedded in a louver. A pivot pin has a point rotatably received in the opposite end of each louver and an outer end received and spring loaded in a blind hole in the outer, arched, frame member. A drive motor in the hub has a pinion with teeth between and engaged with the gears to drive the gears simultaneously but in opposite directions, thus turning the louvers in unison to open and shut them as and to the extent desired.

Abstract: An enclosed louver actuating mechanism is disclosed which employs generally a rack and pinion gear system for actuating a plurality of louvers. The louver mechanism is configured so that upon manual rotation of one louver the remaining louvers are rotated. The louver mechanism is contained within a longitudinal slot in a stile of a louvered panel and includes a plurality of pinion gears enmeshed between opposing longitudinal gear racks. A pinion gear is provided for each louver and is located in the stile between the gear racks so that the longitudinal gear racks translate in opposite directions relative the pinion gears. A longitudinal cover encloses the rack and pinion drive mechanism and includes through holes corresponding to the pinion gears and louvers. Drive pins are received through the longitudinal cover between the louvers and pinion gears.