U.S. patent application number 10/807018 was filed with the patent office on 2005-10-27 for shingle with sharply defined tabs separated by slots and method of making.
Invention is credited to Jenkins, Robert L., Kalkanoglu, Husnu M..
Application Number | 20050235599 10/807018 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35006156 |
Filed Date | 2005-10-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050235599 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kalkanoglu, Husnu M. ; et
al. |
October 27, 2005 |
Shingle with sharply defined tabs separated by slots and method of
making
Abstract
A shingle is provided and its method of manufacture, in which
granules are applied to an upper surface of a hardenable coating on
a layer of shingle-making material, with granules of different
pre-selected visual aesthetics provided in different tab areas,
separated by mixtures of granules from adjacent tab areas forming
intermediate areas, and in which the intermediate areas are removed
to yield slots separating adjacent tabs, leaving visually sharp,
precise starting and ending delineations for the tabs of a given
aesthetic, that can be the same as or different than the aesthetic
of an adjacent tab.
Inventors: |
Kalkanoglu, Husnu M.;
(Swarthmore, PA) ; Jenkins, Robert L.; (Honey
Brook, PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
John F. McNulty
Paul & Paul
2900 Two Thousand Market Street
Philadelphia
PA
19103
US
|
Family ID: |
35006156 |
Appl. No.: |
10/807018 |
Filed: |
March 23, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/746.11 ;
52/749.12 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 428/24372 20150115;
E04D 2001/005 20130101; E04D 1/26 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
052/746.11 ;
052/749.12 |
International
Class: |
E04B 005/00; E04D
001/00; E04B 001/00; E04G 021/00; E04G 023/00; E04D 015/00; E04F
021/00; E04G 021/14 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of making a shingle having a butt portion and a tab
portion with tabs of desired aesthetic in the tab portion being
spaced apart by slots, and with adjacent tabs being sharply
defined, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a base web of
reinforcing material impregnated with and coated with an adhesive
material as a hardenable coating, to an upper surface and a lower
surface thereof; (b) conveying the impregnated reinforcing material
in a longitudinal direction; (c) applying granules of a first
aesthetic onto the hardenable coating on the upper surface in first
primary areas, each of a first width, in the tab portion of the
continuous strip of shingle material, to cover said first primary
areas; (d) applying granules of a second aesthetic onto the
hardenable coating of the upper surface in second primary areas,
each of a second width, in the tab portion of the continuous strip
of shingle material, to cover said second primary areas; and (e)
applying granules of a mixture of those applied to adjacent primary
areas, onto the hardenable coating in intermediate areas between
said adjacent primary areas, each intermediate area being of an
intermediate width; and (f) cutting generally transverse slots of a
predetermined size in said tab portion so that each said slot is at
least as wide in the longitudinal direction as the width of the
entire intermediate area in which it is located, to remove said
intermediate areas, leaving visually sharp, precise starting and
ending delineations at each longitudinal end of each of said
primary areas, with granules of a given aesthetic in each primary
area being spaced apart on longitudinally opposite sides of a said
slot.
2. The method of claim 1, including the step of: (g) applying
granules of a third aesthetic onto the hardenable coating of the
upper surface in third primary areas, each of a third width, in the
tab portion of the continuous strip of shingle material, to cover
said third primary areas.
3. A method of making a shingle having a butt portion and a tab
portion with tabs of desired shading in the tab portion being
spaced apart by slots, and with adjacent tabs being sharply
defined, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a base web of
reinforcing material impregnated with and coated with an adhesive
material as a hardenable coating, to an upper surface and a lower
surface thereof; (b) conveying the impregnated reinforcing material
in a longitudinal direction; (c) applying granules of a first
aesthetic onto the hardenable coating on the upper surface in first
primary areas, each of a first width, in the tab portion of the
continuous strip of shingle material, to cover said first primary
areas; (d) applying granules of a second aesthetic onto the
hardenable coating of the upper surface in second primary areas,
each of a second width, in the tab portion of the continuous strip
of shingle material, to cover said second primary areas; and (e)
applying granules of a mixture of those applied to adjacent primary
areas, onto the hardenable coating in intermediate areas between
said adjacent primary areas, each intermediate area being of an
intermediate width; and (f) removing said intermediate areas.
4. The method of claim 3, including the step of: (g) applying
granules of a third aesthetic onto the hardenable coating of the
upper surface in third primary areas, each of a third width, in the
tab portion of the continuous strip of shingle material, to cover
said third primary areas.
5. A method of making a shingle having a butt portion and a tab
portion with tabs of desired shading in the tab portion being
spaced apart by slots, and with adjacent tabs being sharply
defined, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a base web of
reinforcing material impregnated with and coated with an adhesive
material as a hardenable coating, to an upper surface and a lower
surface thereof; (b) conveying the impregnated reinforcing material
in a longitudinal direction; (c) applying granules of a first
aesthetic onto the hardenable coating on the upper surface in first
primary areas, each of a first width, in the tab portion of the
continuous strip of shingle material, to cover said first primary
areas; (d) applying granules of a second aesthetic onto the
hardenable coating of the upper surface in second primary areas,
each of a second width, in the tab portion of the continuous strip
of shingle material, to cover said second primary areas; and (e)
applying granules of a mixture of those applied to adjacent primary
areas onto the hardenable coating in intermediate areas between
said adjacent primary areas; and (f) removing said intermediate
areas.
6. The method of claim 5, including the step of: (g) applying
granules of a third aesthetic onto the hardenable coating of the
upper surface in third primary areas, each of a third width, in the
tab portion of the continuous strip of shingle material, to cover
said third primary areas.
7. The method of any one of claims 1, 3 or 5, including the step of
cutting the impregnated web with granules into separate shingles of
predetermined lengths.
8. The method of claim 7, including the step of applying a second
layer of impregnated reinforcing material with granules thereon to
the base web of impregnated reinforcing material with granules
thereon, to make a laminated shingle.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second layer of impregnated
reinforcing material with granules thereon is applied after said
intermediate areas are removed.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the second layer of impregnated
reinforcing material with granules thereon is applied before said
intermediate areas are removed.
11. The method of claim 7, wherein said tabs of desired aesthetic
have a varied parameter from one tab to another, said varied
parameter being selected from the group of tab shape, tab length,
tab width and slot width.
12. A shingle made according to the method of claim 7.
13. A shingle made according to the method of claim 8.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Shingles of the type having a butt portion and a tab
portion, with slots separating tabs of the tab portion of the
shingle, are known in the art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,212,843 and
6,467,235 represent examples of such shingles and their method of
manufacture.
[0002] It is also known to manufacture shingles, either of the
single layer type or of the laminated type, comprising two or more
layers of complete shingle material, wherein each layer of complete
shingle material includes a base web of reinforcing material that
is impregnated with and coated with an adhesive material, generally
asphalt, which hardens, and with granules applied to an upper
surface of the shingle material.
[0003] Generally, the shingles are made by having a base web, often
of fiberglass construction, as a reinforcing material, impregnated
with the bitumen or other adhesive material, as part of a
continuous process, and in which the granules are dropped onto the
continuous sheet of impregnated and coated material, to adhere
thereto, with the granules being dropped from granule applicators.
Often, there are a plurality of granule applicators, which apply
granules of a certain preselected aesthetic onto different portions
of the shingle-forming layer passing therebeneath. For example, the
granule applicators may contain granules of different colors,
different shadings of the same color, different blends of color or
shading, etc.
[0004] It is desirable to have adjacent tabs separated by slots,
wherein the tabs have some form of contrast or aesthetic from
tab-to-tab. The contrast may be in the form of different shades of
the same color, different colors from tab-to-tab, different blends
of colors or shading from tab-to-tab, or of other variations.
[0005] Often, the goal of such manners of shingle manufacture is to
provide shingles that, once they are laid up on a roof, give the
appearance of individual tiles, or individual slates, as may be
desired, rather than appearing as tabs of a manufactured
shingle.
[0006] Because control of the dropping of granules from a given
applicator may not be absolutely or precisely perfect, where
shingles from a given hopper-type applicator may be intended to be
dropped in a preplanned tab area of a shingle-forming layer passing
therebeneath, and wherein granules from a different hopper
applicator may be intended to be dropped on an adjacent tab area,
there is often an intermediate zone or area, between adjacent tab
areas, where there is a blend of granules from one applicator with
granules from another applicator.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0007] The present invention is directed to providing a shingle and
a method of making a shingle in which adjacent tabs can be sharply
defined, in which granules of a given aesthetic are applied to one
tab area and granules of another aesthetic are applied to an
adjacent tab area, and which any mixture of granules from both of
those areas that are applied to an intermediate area between those
two tab areas, are removed by removing the entire intermediate
area, to yield two distinct tabs.
[0008] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a shingle and a method of making the shingle, in which
granules of more than one aesthetic are applied to a
shingle-forming layer, each in a different area, and wherein a
mixture of granules of both aesthetics are applied in an
intermediate area, which intermediate area is then removed to yield
adjacent shingle tabs that are sharply defined, each having
granules only of its own predetermined aesthetic.
[0009] It is another object to accomplish the above objects,
wherein the removal takes place by cutting generally transverse
slots between tab areas such that each remaining tab area yields
visually sharp, precise starting and ending delineations of its own
aesthetic.
[0010] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
be readily apparent upon the reading of the following brief
description of the drawing figures, the detailed descriptions of
the preferred embodiments, and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
[0011] FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a layer of
shingle-forming material being continuously conveyed along a
generally horizontal path, beneath a plurality of hopper type
granule applicators which are dropping granules onto predetermined
tab areas of the coated web of shingle-forming material.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a top view of the continuous coated web of
shingle-forming material, with granules of different aesthetics
already applied thereto, in different areas, spaced by intervening
transitional or intermediate areas, which intermediate areas
contain mixtures or blends of granules from each adjacent tab
area.
[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates the continuous layer of shingle-forming
material, with granules already applied thereon, passing under
slot-forming cutting apparatus and shingle separation cutting
apparatus.
[0014] FIG. 3A is a fragmentary illustration similar to that of
FIG. 3, but wherein a rotary mechanism is illustrated for cutting
the slots between adjacent tabs and cutting the shingle-forming
material into individual shingles.
[0015] FIG. 4 is an illustration similar to that of FIG. 2, but
after the slots have been cut between adjacent tabs of the shingle,
removing the intermediate areas that had contained mixtures or
blends of granules from the adjacent tab areas.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a top view of a completed shingle made in
accordance with this invention.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a front edge view of a completed shingle in
accordance with this invention, having multi-layers, to yield a
laminated shingle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] Referring to the drawings in detail, reference is first made
to FIG. 1, wherein a continuous layer of shingle-forming material
is illustrated by the numeral 10, as comprising a base web of
reinforcing material, generally of fiberglass construction,
impregnated with and coated with an adhesive material, generally of
the asphalt or other bitumen type, as a hardenable coating, to an
upper and lower surface thereof. Such layer of shingle-forming
material, up to this point in the manufacture, may be constructed
as disclosed in either of the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No.
6,212,843 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,235, or by other techniques.
[0019] The shingle-forming material 10 is horizontally conveyed
along a conveyor formed by a plurality of rollers 11, being rotated
in the clockwise direction shown by the arrows 12, such that the
shingle-forming material is moved from left to right as shown in
FIG. 1, in the direction of the arrow 13, to pass beneath a
plurality of hopper-type granule applicators 14, 15 and 16.
[0020] It will be apparent that any number of granule applicators
may be used as may be desired, depending upon the aesthetic
illustration desired in the final shingle.
[0021] For purposes of this application, the granules being
dispensed from each of the applicators 14, 15 and/or 16 will be
referred to as granules of a given "aesthetic". It will be
understood that as used herein "aesthetic" can mean that the
granules dispensed from the various applicators may be granules of
a different color or appearance, or may be granules of different
shades of the same color, or components of either of them.
Similarly, they can be granules of different sizes or shapes,
textures, or a given granule applicator may contain a blend of
granules of predetermined colors and/or shadings, and that the
other granule applicators may contain granules of a different blend
of colors, shadings, sizes, etc. Granules of different materials
and compositions may be used, such as, for example, including but
not limited to, natural rock, slag, ceramic coated rock or mineral
particles, or granules of various mineral content.
[0022] Thus, as used herein, the term "aesthetic", will mean a
given, predetermined array of granules that will yield a certain
visual impression, which will often be different than an array of
granules that yields a different visual impression from that of an
adjacent tab area. Alternatively, some adjacent tab areas could
have the same aesthetics, to give the same visual impression, if
desired.
[0023] Accordingly, with reference to FIG. 2, it will be seen that
the layer of shingle-forming material is provided with an upper
butt portion 17 and a lower tab portion 18.
[0024] The butt portion 17 will generally be provided with granules
that are adapted to be covered when shingles are laid-up on a roof,
and such granules can be as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
6,212,843 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,235, or of any other type, in that
such are not the granules to which the present invention is
directed. The granules that are applied from the applicators 14, 15
and 16 of FIG. 1, are granules that will produce "aesthetics" A, B,
and C as shown in FIG. 2.
[0025] Because the deposit of granules from the applicators 14, 15
and 16 can be stopped or started by various techniques, well known
in the art, such as openable doors (not shown), the aesthetic areas
A, B, and C will not necessarily always follow each other, in that
various aesthetic areas can be controlled by conventional granule
drop techniques, such that a B area can follow a C area, an A area
can follow B area, etc, as shown in FIG. 2, or any other variations
of different aesthetic areas following a previous aesthetic area.
The arrangement of the variations of different aesthetic areas can
be patterned or have a random distribution.
[0026] In any event, between the various A, B and C aesthetic
areas, it will be seen that there are intermediate areas in the tab
portion 18, such as, as viewed from right-to-left as viewed in FIG.
2, the intermediate area BA between areas A and B, the intermediate
area CB between areas B and C, the intermediate area BC between
areas C and B, the intermediate area AB between areas B and A, the
intermediate area BA between areas A and B, the intermediate area
CB between areas B and C, and the intermediate area BC between
areas C and B, for example.
[0027] For ease of understanding, in the course of this
application, the tab areas A, B and C will be considered "primary"
areas, and the areas BA, CB, BC, AB, BA, CB and BC will be
considered intermediate or transitional areas.
[0028] It will also be understood that the intermediate or
transitional areas are comprised, in each case, of some blend or
mixture of granules from each of the primary areas on each side of
the transitional area, and that such occurs because of the
limitations on precision with regard to the dropping of granules;
that is, that it is not always possible to precisely stop the
application of granules, or to precisely start the application of
granules when they are being delivered via gravity drop from a
hopper-type granule applicator, roll- or belt-type granule
applicator, or any other type of applicator. Application may also
be provided with pneumatic assist, contact adhesion, or particle
placement devices.
[0029] With reference now to FIG. 3, it will be seen that the
continuous sheet of shingle-forming material 10, after application
of granules, continues on over rollers 11 or other types of
conveying apparatus, to a slot forming device 20. The slot forming
device 20 may be of any desired type, but could be of the type
illustrated in FIG. 3, in which the device 20 is moved upwardly or
downwardly, so that its slot-cutting portion 21, when moved
downwardly in the direction of the double headed arrow 22, can cut
out the intermediate areas of the tab portion between primary areas
of the tab portion, to yield spaced-apart tabs 26, separated by
slots 27. While FIG. 4 shows each of the tabs 26 to have similar
parameters of shape, length, and width, with respect to one
another, these parameters could be varied from tab to tab.
Similarly, the width of slots 27 may vary from slot to slot. Thus,
in an alternative embodiment, the shingle-forming layer 10 can be
made with at least one of the parameters of tab shape, tab length,
tab width and slot width varied as the sheet is conveyed through
the manufacturing process.
[0030] The shingle-forming layer 10 is then delivered to a cutter
mechanism 23, which also can be of the type that moves vertically
upwardly and downwardly in the direction of the double headed arrow
25, such that its lower edge 24 can cut through the shingle-forming
material 10 when desired, to separate the shingle-forming material
10 into separate discrete shingles, each comprising a plurality of
tabs, such as the four-tab shingle of FIG. 5.
[0031] With reference now to FIG. 3A, it will be seen that the
shingle-forming layer 10 may have its slots and shingle cut-off
formed therein by means of a rotary member 30 having a slot cutter
31 carried thereby, which cuts the slots 27 in the shingle-forming
material 10 as the rotary cutter is turned in the direction of the
arrow 31. Similarly, the shingle cut-off mechanism may, in lieu of
that shown in FIG. 3, be comprised of a rotary member 32 having a
cutting blade 33 thereon, which cuts the shingle-forming material
10 into separate discrete shingles, as the cutter mechanism 32 is
rotated in the direction of the arrow 34. Other cutting or removal
means known in the art may be employed to form the slots or to cut
the shingle-forming material into separate discrete shingles.
[0032] Referring now to FIG. 5, it will be seen that a
representative shingle is shown, having a plurality of aesthetic
areas that sharply define the tabs 26, separated by slots 27, with
each slot being as wide in the longitudinal direction from
left-to-right as shown, as at least the width of the entire
intermediate area between adjacent primary areas as shown in FIG.
2, such that in each case the entire intermediate area is removed,
leaving visually sharp, precise starting and ending delineations at
each longitudinal end of each of the primary areas, with granules
of a given aesthetic in each primary area being spaced apart on
longitudinally opposite sides of a given slot.
[0033] With reference now to FIG. 6, it will be seen that the
completed shingle of FIG. 5, is illustrated in lower or front edge
view, and that the completed shingle 40 of FIG. 5 has been provided
with either a half height or full height, as may be desired,
separate complete layer of shingle material 41, adhesively secured
thereto along surface 42, to yield a laminated multi-layer shingle.
While FIG. 6 shows a shingle where the separate complete layer of
shingle material 41 was applied prior to forming of slots 27, the
layer 41 could also be applied after the slots 27 have been formed
in the shingle-forming material 10, providing the completed shingle
40 having slots formed in one, but not all, layers of a laminated
multi-layer shingle. Alternatively, a single layer shingle could be
provided by omitting layer 41 from the shingle construction.
[0034] While the embodiments discussed above have three aesthetic
areas, A, B, and C, it will be understood that the invention could
be applied to a roofing material having a plurality of aesthetic
areas. For example, two, three, or four, or more different
aesthetic areas may be present on a shingle of the invention.
[0035] It will be apparent from the forgoing that various
modifications may be made in the details of construction, the
manner of manufacture, and the sequence of steps in connection with
the manufacture, to yield various aesthetic presentations for a
completed shingle, as is embraced within the appended claims.
* * * * *