Abstract: A shutter for a skylight or a window comprises a transparent housing and a shutter assembly within the housing. The shutter is formed of louvres comprising light weight S-shaped reinforced foil members pivoted at their ends with light weight pivot pin bearings. A counterbalanced crank arm rotates the louvres by way of one of the pivot bearings.

Abstract: A louver solar panel comprising spaces parallel corrugated louvers extending between channel-like side members. The louvers have flat sided adjoining corrugations the sides of which are about equal in width and are about normal to one another. The louvers are oriented at angles of about 30.degree. with the lengths of the side members, do not overlap and have a heat absorbing surface on the sides thereof to be exposed to solar radiation.

Abstract: A supplemental window and blind unit (10) adapted to be installed in a conventional window (13, 15) having a conventional frame (11) and an original window pane (26). A supplemental frame (28) is attached to the conventional frame (11), and a sash (36) is attached to the supplemental frame (28) in hinged relation. A supplemental window pane (34) is mounted in the sash (36) to close the framed window opening (29) defined by the supplemental frame (28). A window blind (46) is attached to a selected part of the sash (36) so that the window blind (46) is between the supplemental window pane (34) and the original window pane (26) when the sash (36) is in its closed position, whereby the conventional window (13, 15) may be modified to be a window having multiple panes with a window blind enclosed between two of the panes.

Abstract: The invention comprises a double glazing construction having foldable insulating louvers attached to and located between the glazing panels. The louvers include internal insulating means and dual hingeing means permitting the louvers to be closed and opened as one of the glazing panels is moved relative to the other. The specific configuration of the louvers and the means for attaching the louvers to the glazing permit the louvers, the hingeing means and the glazing to be manufactured from extruded plastic components. The louvers may be coated with a heat and light reflective material to further improve the insulating effectiveness when the louvers are closed and to direct sunlight deeper within a building interior when the louvers are opened.

Abstract: A window casement designed to be attached to a window frame outside the window sash operative on the one hand to serve as a storm window and on the other hand to provide supplemental heating during the winter and cooling during the summer.

Abstract: The solar collector comprises a plurality of direction adjustable elongated parabolic reflectors arranged side by side. Along the focus of the reflectors are tubes for a heat collecting medium. The tubes are to be connected to heat exchangers or the like.Each reflector consists of reflector wall portions movably connected to each other and operable from an open parabolic reflector position to a non-reflector position entirely enclosing the tubes, and forming a relatively flat structure resembling a venetian blind slat.

Abstract: A window pane construction comprises first and second light-transmissive panel members having peripheries which are sealed together and defining a viewing pane portion between the peripheries of the panes. The panes are spaced apart to define a hollow air space therebetween and, for this purpose, one pane member is advantageously made trough-shaped and the bottom of the trough defines a viewing pane portion of this pane. A shade member is positioned in the hollow space and it may comprise, for example, a windup window shade type or a venetian blind type. The shade member is connected to actuating means which is mounted outside the two light-transmissive panes and connected to the shade member for adjusting the position of at least a portion of the member in order to vary the light penetration through the two panes.

Abstract: An operating mechanism for a slat shade assembly of the type mounted between a pair of glazing panels of a window. The mechanism includes a sash and a pair of glazing panels which are supported by the sash. A slat shade is operatively positioned in the space between the glazing panels. An operating mechanism is secured to the surface of the window sash frame and is located between the two glazing panels. The operating mechanism is operatively connected to a selected portion of the slat shade assembly for moving the slats of the slat shade assembly between two extreme positions. An opening is provided in one of the glazing panels in a position which is adjacent to the slat shade operating mechanism. A manual control member is mounted on the one glazing panel and passes through the opening in the one glazing panel. The manual control member is operatively interconnected to the operating mechanism so that the slat shade may be moved to a desired position by the manual control member.

Abstract: A high thermal efficiency window which is comprised of a low conductivity ame carrying a spaced pair of panes or lites. The space between the panes is divided into a series of vertically spaced-apart cells by a blind structure disposed between the panes, the slats of the blinds being essentially in contact with the interior faces of the panes whereby convection losses are minimized. The device is characterized by the blind being shiftable between an open or see-through configuration and a privacy configuration, the longitudinal edges of the elements defining the blinds being in contact with the interior faces of the panes in both said see-through and privacy configurations thereof.

Abstract: A foldable sunshield for motor vehicles comprises a plurality of planar rectangular elements which are joined along their longitudinal edges to form, in the stretched position, a substantially continuous partition and, in the folded position, a prismatic package, at least two planar rectangular elements being provided, in the preferred embodiment, with flap extensions. The sunshield may be used in combination with a window of a motor vehicle and devices, equipment or expedients for releasably retaining the sunshield at the window, such as a rear view mirror, sun visors, hooks, window edges and gaskets, the steering wheel, and the like.

Abstract: A window shade casing with a cover wall, a side wall, an outer wall and a casing bottom. The cover wall and the side wall are angularly shaped, are formed mutually alike and are engaged on the casing with their edges. The cover wall and the side wall are hooked in one another.

Abstract: An apparatus for insulating against conductive, convective, and radiant heat transmission comprises a plurality of mutually parallel sheets. The sheets may be attached to a retracting device from which they can be drawn to extend in mutually parallel relation and cover a building opening such as a window or onto which they can be retracted to uncover the opening. A number of spacers which may be in the form of collapsible or nestable devices are mounted within the apparatus to separate each pair of adjacent sheets and, thus, define a dead air space therebetween. At least one of the sheets has a surface, facing on the dead air space, that exhibits a low surface emittance. This surface emittance is sufficiently low to yield a total effective emissivity of the surface and dead air space of no greater than 0.60. Important, the spacer devices are designed so as not to abrade or otherwise harm the reflective surface.

Abstract: The upper channular frame supporting the venetian blind houses a rotary shaft parallel to the slats of the blind and from which the slats are suspended by a pair of nylon ladders. The shaft is driven by a small D.C. motor and gear reduction unit having an output governed by limit switches selectively operable to provide a predetermined limit of angular slat movement. The limit switches are incorporated in parallel branches directly in one of the power lines to the motor, with individual diodes controlling the direction of the current through the corresponding branches.

Abstract: The blind of the invention consists essentially of an arrangement of a number of thin but stiff blades, disposed between the panes of a two-pane window, which blades stretch horizontally across the whole of the window from one edge of the frame to the other and which are rotatable between mainly a vertical and a horizontal position. The invention is characterized in that in the vertical position the blades form at least substantially tight walls spaced apart and forming between them an integral and substantially closed air space.

Abstract: A sun reflector formed by a carrier of transparent sheet material and internal louvers for use in a window panel is disclosed. The louvers are inserted across the width of the carrier and on equally spaced centers along its length. The louvers are received by the carrier at an angle acute to the plane of the surface. The louvers are formed of individual segments, each of which is equidistantly spaced from adjacent louver segments with the outer segments being spaced from the sides of the sheet material. The louver segments are encased by the sheet material.