US3735691A — Louver assembly

Claim 1

Independent Claim 172 words

A louver assembly comprising: a housing member having interior surfaces; a plurality of vanes; first mounting means including flexible hinge means for interconnecting said plurality of vanes, said first mounting means having portions thereof both in front of and behind said plurality of vanes; second mounting means in part associated with said housing member and in part associated with said plurality of interconnected vanes for mounting said interconnected vanes within saiD interior surfaces of said housing for pivotable movement with respect thereto; ratchet teeth formed on at least a portion of said first mounting means which is in juxtaposition with an interior surface of said housing; and groove means formed on said interior surface of said housing in juxtaposition with said ratchet teeth for engagement with said ratchet teeth whereby said plurality of vanes are held in a fixed position within said housing by engagement of said ratchet teeth in said groove means and whereby said vanes are movable to different positions by movement of said ratchet teeth over said groove means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 172 words

A louver assembly comprising: a housing member having interior surfaces; a plurality of vanes; first mounting means including flexible hinge means for interconnecting said plurality of vanes, said first mounting means having portions thereof both in front of and behind said plurality of vanes; second mounting means in part associated with said housing member and in part associated with said plurality of interconnected vanes for mounting said interconnected vanes within saiD interior surfaces of said housing for pivotable movement with respect thereto; ratchet teeth formed on at least a portion of said first mounting means which is in juxtaposition with an interior surface of said housing; and groove means formed on said interior surface of said housing in juxtaposition with said ratchet teeth for engagement with said ratchet teeth whereby said plurality of vanes are held in a fixed position within said housing by engagement of said ratchet teeth in said groove means and whereby said vanes are movable to different positions by movement of said ratchet teeth over said groove means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 194 words

A louver assembly comprising: a housing having an opening therethrough which opening has an interior surface; a plurality of vanes; at least a pair of gang bars; living hinge means for interconnecting one of said pair of gang bars at a corner of a first edge of each of said plurality of vanes and for interconnecting said other gang bar at a second edge of said plurality of vanes; mounting means in part associated with said housing and in part associated with said interconnected vanes for mounting said vanes in said opening of said housing for pivotable movement with respect thereto, at least said one gang bar being in juxtaposition with said housing''s interior surface; ratchet teeth formed on at least a portion of said one gang bar, said teeth being in facing relationship with said housing''s interior surface; and groove means formed on said housing''s interior surface in juxtaposition with said ratchet teeth for engagement with said ratchet teeth whereby said plurality of vanes are held in a fixed position within said housing''s interior and whereby said vanes are movable to different positions by movement of said ratchet teeth over said groove means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 194 words

A louver assembly comprising: a housing having an opening therethrough which opening has an interior surface; a plurality of vanes; at least a pair of gang bars; living hinge means for interconnecting one of said pair of gang bars at a corner of a first edge of each of said plurality of vanes and for interconnecting said other gang bar at a second edge of said plurality of vanes; mounting means in part associated with said housing and in part associated with said interconnected vanes for mounting said vanes in said opening of said housing for pivotable movement with respect thereto, at least said one gang bar being in juxtaposition with said housing''s interior surface; ratchet teeth formed on at least a portion of said one gang bar, said teeth being in facing relationship with said housing''s interior surface; and groove means formed on said housing''s interior surface in juxtaposition with said ratchet teeth for engagement with said ratchet teeth whereby said plurality of vanes are held in a fixed position within said housing''s interior and whereby said vanes are movable to different positions by movement of said ratchet teeth over said groove means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 58 words

The louver assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein: said groove means are in the form of a plurality of V-shaped notches extending over a substantial portion of said housing''s interior surface, and wherein both said V-shaped notches and said ratchet teeth extend in the same general direction when said interconnected vanes are positioned in said housing''s interior.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 93 words

The louver assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein: said part of said mounting means associated with said interconnected vanes is a pair of projections formed on at least two of said plurality of vanes at a location on the upper and the lower center of said two vanes, and wherein said part of said mounting means associated with said housing are resiliently deformable tabs having openings for receiving said projections of said vanes therein, whereby said interconnected vanes may be pivoted about said projections to their various positions within said housing''s interior.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 262 words

A louver assembly comprising: a housing having an opening therethrough defined by a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls; a plurality of vanes; two pair of gang bars; living hinge means for interconnecting a first pair of gang bars respectively to the upper and to the lower corners of the leading edge of each of said plurality of vanes, said living hinge means also for interconnecting said second pair of gang bars respectively to the upper and to the lower corners of the trailing edge of each of said plurality of vanes; mounting means in part associated with said housing and in part associated with said interconnected vanes for mounting said vanes in said housing''s opening for pivotable movement with respect thereto, each of said second pair of gang bars having a surface in juxtaposition respectively with said top wall and said bottom wall of said housing''s opening; ratchet teeth formed on at least portions of each of said second pair of gang bars in facing relationship to said top wall and said bottom wall of said housing; and groove means formed both on said top wall and on said bottom wall of said housing''s interior, said groove means being in juxtaposiTion with said ratchet teeth on each of said second pair of gang bars, said groove means for engaging said ratchet teeth whereby said plurality of vanes are held in a fixed position within said housing''s interior and whereby said vanes are movable to different positions by movement of said ratchet teeth over said groove means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 262 words

A louver assembly comprising: a housing having an opening therethrough defined by a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls; a plurality of vanes; two pair of gang bars; living hinge means for interconnecting a first pair of gang bars respectively to the upper and to the lower corners of the leading edge of each of said plurality of vanes, said living hinge means also for interconnecting said second pair of gang bars respectively to the upper and to the lower corners of the trailing edge of each of said plurality of vanes; mounting means in part associated with said housing and in part associated with said interconnected vanes for mounting said vanes in said housing''s opening for pivotable movement with respect thereto, each of said second pair of gang bars having a surface in juxtaposition respectively with said top wall and said bottom wall of said housing''s opening; ratchet teeth formed on at least portions of each of said second pair of gang bars in facing relationship to said top wall and said bottom wall of said housing; and groove means formed both on said top wall and on said bottom wall of said housing''s interior, said groove means being in juxtaposiTion with said ratchet teeth on each of said second pair of gang bars, said groove means for engaging said ratchet teeth whereby said plurality of vanes are held in a fixed position within said housing''s interior and whereby said vanes are movable to different positions by movement of said ratchet teeth over said groove means.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 85 words

The louver assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein: said groove means are in the form of a plurality of V-shaped notches extending over a substantial portion of said bottom wall and said top wall of said housing in a direction from the rear to the front of said housing, and wherein said ratchet teeth formed on each of said second pair of gang bars also extend from the rear to the front of said housing when said vanes are positioned within said housing''s opening.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 103 words

The louver assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein: said part of said mounting means associated with said interconnected vanes is a pair of projections formed on at least two of said plurality of vanes at a location on the upper and the lower center of said two vanes, and wherein said part of said mounting means associated with said housing are resiliently deformable tabs formed in said top wall and said bottom wall, said tabs having openings for receiving said projections of said vanes, whereby said interconnected vanes may be pivoted about said projections to their various positions within said housing''s interior.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 35 words

The louver assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein: said resilient tabs formed in said top wall and said bottom wall of said housing are formed therein by means of U-shaped openings in said walls.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 66 words

The louver assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein: a guide groove is provided from the rear of said top wall and said bottom wall across each of said resilient tabs toward said openings in said tabs, each of said guide grooves for guiding one of said projections of said vanes to an associated opening in said tab when said vanes are assembled with said housing.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 86 words

The louver assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein: said vanes are five in number, wherein said projections are located on said second and fourth vanes, wherein ratchet teeth formed on said second pair of gang bars are formed adjacent said first, third and fifth vanes, wherein said guide grooves are formed adjacent said second and fourth vanes, and wherein said V-shaped notches defining said groove means are formed along said top and said bottom walls in all positions except where said guide grooves are located.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-05-28	1976-11-27	1977-05-29	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-05-28	1980-11-27	1981-05-29	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-05-28	1984-11-27	1985-05-29	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Louver assembly

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