Abstract: A louver assembly for an exterior of a building, the assembly comprising: a louver carrier; a louver which is supportable by the louver carrier; and a locking mechanism, means or connector adapted to prevent or limit separation of the louver from the louver carrier The locking connector includes a deflectable first engagement element on one of the louver and the louver carrier, a second engagement element on the other of the louver and the louver carrier and which is engagable with the deflectable first engagement element, and a locking element adapted to prevent or limit movement of the deflectable first engagement element thereby preventing or inhibiting separation of the first and second engagement elements when interconnected.

Abstract: An exterior acoustic louvre comprises an internal structural mounting element which is adapted for mounting the louvre to an exterior mounting element, and which has a longitudinal sound-energy baffle extending in a front-to-rear-edge direction of the louvre and at least one lateral sound-energy baffle extending in a top-to-bottom-surface direction of the louvre. At least one sound-energy absorption element overlies at least a majority of the upper and lower surfaces of the longitudinal sound-energy baffle. A sound-attenuating baffle cavity is provided between the upper and lower surfaces of the longitudinal sound-energy baffle, the sound-attenuating baffle cavity extending across at least a majority of a lateral extent of the longitudinal sound-energy baffle. An exterior solar-shading system for a building, comprising a plurality of such exterior acoustic louvres is also provided.

Abstract: A solar-shading assembly for fastening to a support mullion, comprises an elongate louver member having longitudinal front and rear edges, an elongate cap element for extending along and covering the rear edge, a bracket which is connectable to the support mullion, and a fastening device for connecting the bracket to the rear edge of the louver member. The in use fastening device is coverable by the cap element so as to hide the fastening device from view. Preferably, at least part of the bracket is also coverable by the cap element so as to hide the said part of the bracket from view.

Abstract: An exterior acoustic louvre comprises a louvre body which defines major upper and lower surfaces and minor side surfaces. The louvre body includes a support element, a sound-energy absorption element supported by the support element, and a flexible plastics watertight element which watertightly encases the sound-energy absorption element. The louvre body is arranged so that the watertightly encased sound-energy absorption element can receive sound energy in the directions of both the upper and lower major surfaces of the louvre body.

Abstract: There is provided a method of attaching bracket apparatus to a curtain wall mullion having a fastening channel for receiving screw-threaded fasteners for a bracket element having upper and lower attachment ports. The method comprises the steps of: a) positioning the bracket element on the fastening channel so that a longitudinal opening of the channel is blocked along the longitudinal extent of the bracket element, and providing upper and lower blocking elements within the fastening channel so that the upper and lower attachment ports are in between the upper and lower blocking elements; and b) forcing an adhesive into one of the said upper and lower attachment ports until it appears in the other of the upper and lower attachment ports. There is also provided curtain walling bracket apparatus for use in such a method, and curtain wall mullion apparatus wherein said curtain walling bracket apparatus is attached to a curtain wall mullion using said method.

Abstract: Exterior solar shading comprises at least one elongate rigid light-transmissible louver. The louver has an infra-red filter element which prevents or limits the transmission of infra-red energy, and a light redirection element which reflect visible light passing through the louver. The light redirecting element is integrally formed in a major surface of an outer louver element of the louver. Preferably, the light redirecting element is a plurality of formations such as recesses, for example, grooves, or projections, which may preferably have at least one mirrored surface.

Abstract: An adapter (22) for attaching a solar-shading bracket (30) to a curtain walling mullion (10), comprises a body element (24) for location on the curtain walling mullion (10) and adapted to support the solar-shading bracket (30), mullion attaching means (26) for attaching the body element (24) to the curtain walling mullion (10), and bracket attaching means (28) for attaching the solar-shading bracket (30) to the adapter (22). A method and a apparatus having an energy break device are also provided.

Abstract: A solar-shading assembly for fastening to a support mullion, comprises an elongate louver member having longitudinal front and rear edges, an elongate cap element for extending along and covering the rear edge, a bracket which is connectable to the support mullion, and a fastening device for connecting the bracket to the rear edge of the louver member. The in use fastening device is coverable by the cap element so as to hide the fastening device from view. Preferably, at least part of the bracket is also coverable by the cap element so as to hide the said part of the bracket from view.

Abstract: A roller blind mechanism 16 for winding and unwinding a rollable blind, comprises a support element 18, a drive sprocket 20 which is rotatably mounted on the support element 18 for transmitting rotational movement to a blind supporting member, and a manually-movable elongate flexible drive element 22 which includes a plurality of interlinked tooth-engaging elements 32. The drive sprocket 20 includes a plurality of flexible teeth 38 engagable with the tooth-engaging elements 32 of the flexible drive element 22.

Abstract: A clutch mechanism for a roller blind, comprises a housing, a drive member journalled for rotation within the housing, a hub portion projecting from the front of the housing, a C-shaped leaf spring, which has in-turned ends, mounted in the hub portion for frictional engagement with the internal wall of the hub portion, a boss rotatable with the drive member and extending within the C-shaped spring so that rotation of the boss by the drive member causes the spring to close slightly thereby reducing the frictional engagement between the spring and the hub, and a driven member rotatably mounted on the hub for operating the roller blind. The driven member has a lug which projects into the space between the ends of the C-shaped spring so that any tendency to rotate the driven member by the weight of a partly lowered blind causes the C-shaped spring to open slightly and increase its frictional engagement with the hub.

Abstract: A solar shading louvre comprises two spaced light transmissible sheets, a light transmissible redirecting layer positioned between the light transmissible sheets, and a cured cold pour resin by which the light transmissible redirecting layer is fixed relative to the light transmissible sheets. The cold pour resin includes an inhibitor that prevents or inhibits an adverse reaction between the cold pour resin and the light transmissible redirecting layer. Solar shading incorporating the louvre and a method are also provided.

Abstract: Apparatus for attaching items such as solar shading to curtain walling mullions of the kind defined, comprises a bracket having a generally U-shaped formation at one end for fitting over the generally U-shaped formation of the glazing bar of a mullion, a substantially planar portion which, when the bracket is fixed to the mullion, projects forwardly of the glazing bar and in use between two adjacent glazing units and a seal locating formation projecting laterally of the substantially planar portion. The generally U-shaped formation comprises a web portion and two parallel or substantially parallel side portions. The web portion has an aperture therein above and/or below the substantially planar portion for receiving a self-tapping screw which can, in use, extend through the aperture and engage with the groove in the U-shaped formation of the glazing bar.

Abstract: Apparatus for attaching items such as solar shading to curtain walling mullions of the kind defined, comprises a bracket having a generally U-shaped formation at one end for fitting over the generally U-shaped formation of the glazing bar of a mullion, a substantially planar portion which, when the bracket is fixed to the mullion, projects forwardly of the glazing bar and in use between two adjacent glazing units and a seal locating formation projecting laterally of the substantially planar portion. The generally U-shaped formation comprises a web portion and two parallel or substantially parallel side portions. The web portion has an aperture therein above and/or below the substantially planar portion for receiving a self-tapping screw which can, in use, extend through the aperture and engage with the groove in the U-shaped formation of the glazing bar.