Louvre mechanism

A method of assembling a louvre shutter mechanism such that the louvre shutter mechanism can be located within a window frame, said method including the steps of:

• (1) providing a plurality of frame members, a plurality of louvres, at least one gear rack, and first and second support members each having a plurality of apertures and a plurality of elongate pinion gears, which have teeth located at each end of each pinion gear, and are operable as spindles for said louvres;
• (2) adjusting the length of said frame members, said support members, said louvres and each said gear rack to fit within said window frame;
• (3) securing one of said pinion gears at each end of each of said louvers;
• (4) extending said pinion gears axially through the apertures of said first and second support members;
• (5) arranging each said gear rack adjacent one of said support members in a position in which each of said gear racks engages said pinion gears;
• and
• (6) placing the arrangement of step (5) within said frame members.

A louvre shutter assembly adapted to be mounted in an opening in a wall of a building, said assembly comprising:

• a. a plurality of spaced apart frame members joined to one another and forming an open space;
• b. a plurality of elongate louvres each of which substantially spans said space;
• c. a spindle fixed to and extending beyond each of said louvres at opposite ends thereof, each spindle at one end of each of said louvres having unitary pinion gear teeth extending substantially the entire length of said spindle;
• d. first and second support members carried by said frame members journaling said spindles for rotation about spaced apart, parallel axes;
• e. a toothed rack supported by one of said frame members for sliding movements in each of two opposite directions, said rack having its teeth in mesh with those of each of those spindles having teeth whereby sliding movement of said rack in one direction effects concurrent rotation in the same direction of all of said louvres about their respective axes, and
• f. said louvres together being of such length and width as substantially to fill said space when said louvres are rotated to a corresponding selected position.

A louvre shutter assembly adapted to be mounted in an opening in a wall of a building, said assembly comprising:

• a. a pair of parallel frame members having a space therebetween;
• b. a plurality of louvres each of which spans the space between said pair of frame members;
• c. a support carried by one of said frame members and having a plurality of spaced openings therein;
• d. an elongate, toothed pinion gear spindle secured to and extending beyond one end of each of said louvres, each said pinion gear spindle extending rotatably through and jounaled in one of the openings in said support for rotation about an axis;
• e. a spindle secured to and extending beyond the opposite end of each of said louvres and mounting the associated louvre on the other of said frame members for rotation about said axis;
• f. a rack mounted in said one of said frame members for reciprocable linear movements relative thereto,
• g. said rack and each of said pinion gear spindles having meshed teeth whereby linear movement of said rack effects concurrent rotation of all of said louvres in the same rotary direction ;
• and
• h. a collar for each pinion gear spindle carried by said support and through which the associated pinion gear spindle rotatably extends,
• i. each of said collars having an open side overlying and confronting said rack and through which teeth of each associated pinion gear spindle extends for meshing engagement with teeth of said rack,
• j. said louvres together being of such length and width as substantially to fill said space when said louvres are rotated to a corresponding selected position.