Abstract: A fence panel has pickets and rails with slots in the pickets and open bottom U shaped rails. A locking strip slides into the rail and the slots in the pickets to lock the pickets into the rail. The locking strip can be designed with a projecting L portion with a fingers formed between recessed slots along its length such that, at each picket interval, the pickets can pivot around the fingers. Thus, the lock strip allows pivoting of pickets. The rails are designed with a side internal slot with guides to hold the lock strip in place. The rails are further designed with a top internal groove to accept the insertion of a spacer strip that holds the pickets in place and stops them from moving left and right when the top of the pickets do not go through a routed top rail or a supporting middle rail.

Abstract: A shutter assembly includes a stile having a solid core and a plastic outer cover. Holes are formed in the plastic outer cover and aligned with an axial groove formed in the solid core to receive a slotted louver pin. The louver pin includes a pair of arms that provide a sufficient compression fit in the axial groove of the stile while enabling each louver to rotate freely. Separate stile end caps are formed to be flush with the edges of the ends of the plastic cover. Each louver includes louver edges and opposite end caps which are substantially flush with the louver edges. A method of manufacturing a shutter assembly is also provided.

Abstract: A water-reducible binder for coatings comprises the reaction products of a) a phenolic resin comprising the reaction product of bisphenol A, t-butyl phenol and formaldehyde; b) an alkylene carbonate alkoxylating agent; c) a diol selected form the group consisting of 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol, 3,5,5-trimethylpentane diol and neopentyl glycol; and d) trimellitic anhydride. Methods for preparing such a water-reducible binder and coating systems comprising such a binder are also disclosed.

Abstract: A shutter door assembly assembled primarily from extruded plastic components is provided. The shutter door assembly includes an outer rectangular frame surrounding a pivotally attached vaned panel door. Various side, top, and bottom legs of the frame and door are constructed of a hollow extruded plastic and are securely mounted together to form a rigid, durable shutter door. The resulting shutter door has the general look and feel of an actual wooden door.

Abstract: A split-draw vertical blind system uses a plurality of slat carriers, the slat orientation of which is controlled by a spline rod which passes through the carriers. Each carrier bears wheels to enable the carrier to glide smoothly along tracks provided by an enclosing headrail. In addition, a master carrier which a user may move by means of an attached wand is connected by hollow rivets to a stabilizer assembly which bears extra sets of wheels to contact the tracks and the inner surfaces of the headrail top to prevent binding of the master carrier. A horizontally-oriented closed loop of cord passes through bores on either side of the carriers and around pulleys or U-shaped components at the ends of the headrail. The cord loop is attached on opposite sides to the two center carriers, one of which is the master carrier. When the master carrier is moved by means of the wand, the other center carrier is moved in the opposite direction by the cord loop.

Abstract: A shutter door assembly assembled primarily from extruded plastic components is provided. The shutter door assembly includes an outer rectangular frame surrounding a pivotally attached vaned panel door. Various side, top, and bottom legs of the frame and door are constructed of a hollow extruded plastic and are securely mounted together to form a rigid, durable shutter door. The resulting shutter door has the general look and feel of an actual wooden door. An after-former device for forming extruded tubes for use in the shutter assembly is also provided. The after-former system mounts to a standard circular extrusion head, and converts a circular tube of extrudant to a desired noncircular shape, such as a rectangular shape. The after-former has a conical conduit, with an entrance aperture having a circular shape for receiving the initial extrudant and an exit aperture having the desired noncircular cross-section.