U.S. patent number RE38,210 [Application Number 09/276,610] was granted by the patent office on 2003-08-12 for metal shingle with gutter and interlocking edges.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Vail Metal Systems, LLC. Invention is credited to James M. Buster, David J. Plath.
United States Patent |
RE38,210 |
Plath , et al. |
August 12, 2003 |
Metal shingle with gutter and interlocking edges
Abstract
A shingle is formed with a first, or trailing, side edge folded
over toward the top surface of the shingle to catch moisture and
direct it down to the top surface of the next lower shingle. A
second, or leading, side edge of the shingle is not folded. An "S"
shaped fold, spaced apart from the trailing edge fold, receives the
unfolded leading edge of an adjacent shingle. The tailing edge and
S fold form a gutter under the leading edge of the adjacent
shingle. The top edge of the shingle is folded-over toward the top
surface of the shingle for engagement with the folded-under lower
edge of the next higher shingle. The folded-over top edge extends
to the right or leading edge of the shingle and slides under the
left edge of the folded-over top edge of the next adjacent shingle
to the fight side. The folded-under lower edge extends along the
lower edge of the shingle but leaves a gap relative to the
folded-under lower edge of the lateral adjacent shingle. In this
way water is caught by the gutter and flows out the gap between
folded-under lower edges of laterally adjacent shingles. One or
more S-shaped folds are also made in the middle of the shingle to
form a panel having the appearance of multiple shingles.
Inventors: |
Plath; David J. (Edwards,
CO), Buster; James M. (Eagle Vail, CO) |
Assignee: |
Vail Metal Systems, LLC (Vail,
CO)
|
Family
ID: |
22814502 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/276,610 |
Filed: |
March 25, 1999 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
218286 |
Mar 25, 1994 |
|
|
|
Reissue of: |
449779 |
May 24, 1995 |
05613337 |
Mar 25, 1997 |
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/533; 52/519;
52/520; 52/523; 52/529; 52/534; 52/536; 52/537; 52/539; 52/541;
52/545; 52/547; 52/555; 52/578 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04D
1/18 (20130101); E04D 1/265 (20130101); E04D
2001/3414 (20130101); E04D 2001/305 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04D
1/12 (20060101); E04D 1/26 (20060101); E04D
1/18 (20060101); E04D 1/00 (20060101); E04D
001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/519,520,523,525,527,529,530,533-536,539,541,545-547,555,556,578 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
AEP-SPAN, publication by the Dallas Corporation, 1 sheet showing a
Gable Sanp-Seam, Jul. 1988.* .
Architetural Sheet Metal Manual, SMACNA pp. 200 and 243, Jul.
1988..
|
Primary Examiner: Canfield; Robert
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lowe Hauptman Gilman & Berner,
LLP
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This patent application is a continuation of patent application
Ser. No. 08/218,286, filed on Mar. 25, 1994, entitled Metal Shingle
Design (now abandoned).
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A substantially planar roofing shingle having a top surface and
a bottom surface, and further comprising: at least one side edge of
the shingle folded over the top surface of the roofing shingle to
form one side wall of a gutter with the side wall extending from an
upper edge to a lower edge of the shingle, said upper edge being
folded-over toward the top surface, and said lower edge being
folded under toward the bottom surface in a manner that is adapted
to engage a folded-over upper edge of a lower adjacent shingle; an
S shaped fold, spaced apart from the folded over side edge fold, to
form another gutter side wall extending from the upper edge to the
lower edge of the shingle, a fold of said S shaped fold adapted to
receive a side edge of a lateral adjacent shingle; the gutter side
walls formed by said S shaped fold and said folded over side edge,
and the top surface of the roofing shingle between the S shaped
fold and the folded over side edge forming the gutter, said gutter
for catching water migrating around the S shaped fold and under a
laterally adjacent shingle, the gutter adapted to guide the water
caught by the gutter to a top surface of a lower adjacent
shingle.
2. The roofing shingle of claim 1, wherein: the folded-over upper
edge of the roofing shingle is adapted to overlap a folded-over
upper edge of a laterally adjacent shingle when the shingles are
engaged so that water flowing along the gutter of the roofing
shingle cannot flow up under a higher adjacent shingle; and the
folded-under lower edge of the roofing shingle is adapted to
provide a gap between the folded-under lower edge and a
folded-under lower edge of the laterally adjacent shingle, the gap
being adjacent the gutter of said roofing shingle so that water
flowing along said gutter can flow down onto the lower adjacent
shingle.
3. The roofing shingle of claim 1 and in addition: multiple folds
in the surface of the roofing shingle at regularly spaced intervals
to form the appearance of multiple shingles.
4. The roofing shingle of claim 3 wherein said multiple folds
alternate in direction.
5. The roofing shingle of claim 3 wherein said multiple folds are
all oriented in the same direction.
6. A roofing shingle having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a
lower edge, further comprising; a trailing side edge folded over
toward the top surface of the roofing shingle; a leading side edge
which is unfolded; an S shaped fold spaced apart form the trailing
edge fold for receiving an unfolded leading edge of a lateral
adjacent shingle; said S shaped fold, said trailing edge fold, and
the top surface of the roofing shingle between the S shaped fold
and the trailing edge fold forming a gutter for guiding water from
the top surface of the roofing shingle to a top surface of a lower
adjacent similar shingle; multiple folds in the roofing shingle at
regularly spaced intervals to form the appearance of multiple
shingles; and a plurality of gaps in said lower edge adjacent said
multiple folds for allowing water to migrate along said multiple
folds and out onto said lower adjacent shingle.
7. A roofing shingle, comprising: a trailing edge; a first S shaped
fold spaced inwardly from the trailing edge; a leading edge adapted
for insertion into an S shaped fold of a lateral adjacent shingle;
a plurality of additional S shaped folds to form an appearance of
multiple shingles; said trailing edge is folded over for forming a
gutter between said trailing edge fold and said first S shaped
fold; an upper edge folded-over toward a top surface of the roofing
shingle; and a lower edge folded-under toward a bottom surface of
the roofing shingle for engagement with an upper edge of a lower
adjacent similar shingle.
8. The roofing shingle of claim 7 and wherein the folded-under
lower edge is cut away to form a plurality of gaps in said lower
edge adjacent to said multiple folds for allowing water caught by
the folded under lower edge to flow out onto a lower adjacent
similar shingle below.
9. The roofing shingle of claim 7, wherein the folded-over upper
edge is cut to form a plurality of laterally spaced apart
folded-over upper edges that overlap at each S shaped fold when the
S shaped folds are formed, the overlapped upper edges preventing
water migrating up the S shaped folds from flowing over the upper
edge of the shingle.
10. A roofing system comprising a plurality of shingles in which
each shingle has a top surface and a bottom surface extending
between an upper edge and a lower edge and between a first lateral
edge and a second lateral edge, .[.a first one of said shingles
having.]. .Iadd.and in which each shingle further has: (i) said
upper edge folded over said top surface; (ii) said lower edge
folded under said bottom surface; (iii) .Iaddend.said first lateral
edge folded over toward .[.its.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.top surface
to form one side wall of a gutter with said one side wall extending
substantially from the upper edge to the lower edge.Iadd.;
.Iaddend.and .Iadd.(iv) .Iaddend.an S-shaped fold spaced apart from
the one side wall of the gutter to form another sidewall of the
gutter extending substantially from the upper edge to the lower
edge.[.,.]. .Iadd.;.Iaddend. .[.said.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.first one
of said shingles being positioned over a part of a second one of
said shingles .Iadd.with the folded over upper edge of the second
one of said shingles engaged with the folded under lower edge of
the first one of said shingles .Iaddend.such that the .Iadd.folded
over .Iaddend.upper edge of the second one of said shingles
underlays the bottom surface of the first one of said shingles and
.Iadd.overlays the folded under lower edge of said first one of
said shingles, and such that .Iaddend.the .Iadd.folded under
.Iaddend.lower edge of the first one of said shingles overlays the
top surface of the second one of said shingles .Iadd.and underlays
the folded over upper edge of the second one of said shingles, and
further .Iaddend.in such a manner .Iadd.that .Iaddend.said gutter
channels water caught in said gutter onto the top surface of said
second one of said shingles.Iadd.; and wherein the second lateral
edge of a third one of said shingles is inserted into the S-shaped
fold of said first one of said shingles in such a manner that a
portion of said third one of said shingles overlays the gutter of
said first one of said shingles while the folded over upper edge of
the second one of said shingles underlays both the bottom surface
of said third one of said shingles and the gutter of said first one
of said shingles such that water migrating around the second
lateral edge of the third one of said shingles in the S-shaped fold
of the first one of said shingles is caught by the gutter of the
first one of said shingles and is channeled by said gutter of the
first one of said shingles onto the top surface of the second one
of said shingles.Iaddend.. .[.
11. The roofing system of claim 10, wherein the second lateral edge
of a third one of said shingles is inserted into the S-shaped fold
of said first one of said shingles in such a manner that the gutter
of said first one of said shingles underlays the bottom surface of
said third one of said shingles such that water migrating around
the second lateral edge of the third one of said shingles in the
S-shaped fold of the first one of said shingles is caught by the
gutter of the first one of said shingles and is channeled by said
gutter of the first one of said shingles onto the top surface of
the second one of said shingles..].
12. A roofing system comprising a plurality of shingles in which
each shingle is an elongated rectangular sheet with a top surface
and a bottom surface extending between an upper edge and a lower
edge and between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge,
said sheet of each of said shingles having a plurality of S-shaped
folds in laterally spaced relation to each other, each of said
S-shaped folds extending substantially from the upper edge to the
lower edge and with alternate ones of said S-shaped folds in a
shingle being folded in opposite directions from adjacent folds on
either side such that alternate portions of the top surface between
the S-shaped folds are higher than adjacent portions of the top
surface.
13. The roofing system of claim 12, wherein the S-shaped fold
nearest the first lateral edge of each shingle is spaced a distance
inwardly from the first lateral edge and the S-shaped fold nearest
the second lateral edge of each shingle is spaced a distance
inwardly from the second lateral edge, and wherein the second
lateral edge of a first one of said shingles is received in the
S-shaped fold in a second one of said shingles that is nearest the
first lateral edge of the second one of said shingles such that
the-distance between the first lateral edge and the S-shaped fold
nearest the first lateral edge of the second one of said shingles
underlays the second lateral edge of the first one of said
shingles.
14. The roofing system of claim 13, wherein the first lateral edge
of said second one of said shingles is folded over toward the top
surface of the second one of said shingles to form a gutter between
the folded over first lateral edge and the nearest S-shaped fold to
the first lateral edge of the second one of said shingles, which
gutter of the second one of said shingles underlays a portion of
the first one of said shingles adjacent the second lateral edge of
the first one of said shingles.
15. The roofing system of claim 14, wherein the second lateral edge
of the first one of said shingles and the first lateral edge of the
second one of said shingles are positioned to partially overlay the
top surface of a third one of said shingles such that water
migrating around and under the second lateral edge of the first one
of said shingles is caught and channeled by the gutter in the
second one of said shingles onto the top surface of the third one
of said shingles..Iadd.
16. The roofing system of claim 13, wherein the first lateral edge
of said second one of said shingles is bent to protrude from the
top surface of the second one of said shingles in a direction
extending away from the bottom surface to form a gutter between the
bent first lateral edge and the nearest S-shaped fold to the first
lateral edge of the second one of said shingles, which gutter of
the second one of said shingles underlays a portion of the first
one of said shingles adjacent the second lateral edge of the first
one of said shingles..Iaddend..Iadd.
17. The roofing system of claim 16, wherein the second lateral edge
of the first one of said shingles and the first lateral edge of the
second one of said shingles are positioned to partially overlay the
top surface of a third one of said shingles such that water
migrating around and under the second lateral edge of the first one
of said shingles is caught and channeled by the gutter in the
second one of said shingles onto the top surface of the third one
of said shingles..Iaddend..Iadd.
18. The roofing system of claim 13, wherein said first lateral edge
of the second one of said shingles is folded..Iaddend..Iadd.
19. The roofing system of claim 10, wherein said portion of said
third one of said shingles that overlays the gutter of the first
one of said shingles and extends to the second lateral edge of said
third one of said shingles is substantially
planar..Iaddend..Iadd.
20. The roofing system of claim 19, wherein said portion of said
third one of said shingles that overlays the gutter of the first
one of said shingles and extends into the S-shaped fold of the
first one of said shingles is substantially
planar..Iaddend..Iadd.
21. A roofing system, comprising: a plurality of a first type of
shingle, wherein each of said first type of shingle has; a top
surface and a bottom surface terminating in opposing upper edge and
lower edge and in opposing first lateral edge and second lateral
edge; said upper edge of the first type of shingle having an upper
lip that is folded over said top surface; said lower edge of the
first type of shingle having a lower lip that is folded under said
bottom surface; said first lateral edge of the first type of
shingle having a first gutter with a first gutter surface between a
first side wall and a first S fold, said first S fold extending
between said first gutter surface and the top surface; said second
lateral edge of the first type of shingle having a second gutter
side wall and a second S fold, said second S fold extending between
said second gutter surface and the top surface; and a plurality of
a second type of shingle, wherein each of said second type of
shingle has a top surface and a bottom surface terminating in
opposing upper edge and lower edge and in opposing first lateral
edge and second lateral edge; said upper edge of the second type of
shingle having an upper lip that is folded over said top surface;
said lower edge of the second type of shingle having a lower lip
that is folded under said bottom surface; said first lateral edge
of the second type of shingle having a first tongue portion that
extends substantially coplanar with said top surface and said
bottom surface; and said second lateral edge of the second type of
shingle having a second tongue portion that extends substantially
coplanar with said top surface and said bottom surface, and further
wherein: said upper lip of the second type of shingle is adapted to
engage the upper lip of said first type of shingle that is
positioned adjacent said lower lip of said second type of shingle;
said first tongue portion is adapted to extend over the second side
wall and second gutter surface into engagement with the second S
fold of said first type of shingle that is positioned adjacent said
first tongue portion of said second type of shingle; and said
second tongue portion is adapted to extend over the first side wall
and first gutter surface into engagement with a first S fold of
said first type of shingle that is positioned adjacent said second
tongue portion of said second type of shingle..Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to roofing shingles and more particularly to
a metal shingle having interlocking folding edges designed to
prevent moisture from migrating around the edges of the shingle and
folds in the middle of the shingle.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Metal shingles with interlocking edges are known in the art. U.S.
Pat. Nos. Vallee 4,185,436, Vallee 4,218,857, Cosden 3,347,001,
Marini et al. 3,269,075, Newlin et al 3,216,741 and Waske 3,209,506
all disclose interlocking edges.
A problem with the prior art interlocking-edge shingle design is
that water tends to migrate around the edges of a metal, or smooth
surface, shingle. This problem is particularly prevalent at the
corners of the shingle where the folded edges may leave a gap close
to the surface of the shingle. Also, the water tends to migrate
around the interlocking folds at the side edges of the shingle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to provide a shingle with
interlocking edges that is resistant to water moisture creeping
around the edges of the shingle.
In accordance with this invention, the above problems have been
solved and the above object has been accomplished with a shingle
whose side edges overlap with the next adjacent shingle. A first,
or trailing, side edge is folded over toward the top surface of the
shingle to catch moisture creeping toward this side edge and to
direct moisture down the shingle to the top surface of the next
lower shingle. A second, or leading, side edge of the shingle is
not folded. Another fold, spaced inwardly from the trailing side
edge fold, and between the trailing side fold and the leading edge
is an "S" shaped fold in the surface of the shingle. This S fold
receives the unfolded leading edge of an adjacent shingle inserted
into the S fold. As a result, the fold at the trailing side edge,
the S fold, and the top surface of the shingle between the trailing
edge fold and the S fold form a gutter under the leading side edge
of the adjacent shingle. Accordingly, any moisture that manages to
migrate around the S fold and under the leading side edge of the
adjacent shingle is caught by this gutter and flows down the gutter
to the top surface of the next lower shingle on the roof.
The top edge of the shingle is folded-over toward the top surface
of the shingle for engagement with the folded-under lower edge of
the next higher shingle on the roof. The folded-over top edge
extends all the way to the right edge of the shingle so that it
slides under the left edge of the folded-over top edge of the next
adjacent shingle to the right side. The folded-under lower edge
extends along the lower edge of the shingle but preferably leaves a
gap relative to the folded-under lower edge of the next adjacent
side shingle. In this way, water is restrained from migrating over
the top edge of the shingle and is allowed to flow out the gap
between respective folded-under lower edges of the adjacent
shingles.
As a preferred feature of the present invention, one or more
S-shaped folds may also be made in the middle or midsection of the
shingle to form a panel that has the appearance of multiple
shingles. For a viewer, the end of a smaller simulated shingle is
indistinguishable from the end of the panel.
Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be
understood by those of ordinary skill in the art after referring to
the complete written description of the preferred embodiments of
the invention in conjunction with the following drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shingle in accordance with one
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of another preferred embodiment of the
invention with a large shingle panel having four S folds to give
the appearance of four shingles.
FIG. 3 is a lower edge view of the shingle panel in FIG. 2 and also
is representative of a cross-section of the shingle panel cut along
line F in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the leading edge side of the
shingle panel in FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a third preferred embodiment of a
shingle panel similar to FIG. 2, but with the S folds alternately
facing left and right.
FIG. 6 is a lower edge view of the shingle panel of FIG. 5 and is
also representative of a cross-section of the shingle panel cut
along line A in FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 shows a top plan view of a metal sheet pattern of the
shingle panel of FIG. 5 before it is folded with the intended folds
shown in broken lines.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a plurality of the shingles of FIG.
1 as interlocked and mounted on a roof.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of two of the shingle panels of FIG. 5
as interlocked and mounted on a roof.
FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a shingle in accordance with a fourth
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of the shingle of FIG. 10 and is
also representative both of a cross-section of the FIG. 10 shingle
embodiment taken along line D as well as a cross-section of the
shingle of FIG. 13, taken along line E.
FIG. 12 is a cross section view of the shingle of FIG. 10, taken
along line B.
FIG. 13 is a top plan view of another shingle in accordance with
the fourth embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 14 is a lower edge view of the shingle of FIG. 13 and is
representative of a cross-section taken along line C.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a hip and ridge panel designed to
interlock with any of the preferred embodiments of the present
invention.
FIG. 16 is a top plan view of a universal endwall panel designed to
interlock with any of the preferred embodiments of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows a top view of a preferred embodiment of the shingle
31. Upper edge 2 is folded-over to the top plan surface 4 to allow
engagement with mounting bracket 6, or with the lower edge 12 of
the next higher shingle. Mounting bracket 6 has a folded-under
lower edge 8 and a hole 10. The bracket lower edge 8 is hooked onto
the shingle upper edge 2 and nailed to the roof (not shown) through
hole 10 to hold the shingle 31 in place on the roof (not
shown).
The shingle lower edge 12 is folded under for engagement with the
upper edge fold 2 of the next lower shingle. The left side, or
trailing, edge 14 is folded-over toward the top surface of the
shingle 31. The shingle top surface has an S fold 15 spaced
inwardly from the trailing edge 14 that divides a gutter surface 16
from the rest of the top surface 4 of the shingle 31. Thus, water
flowing to the left side of the shingle 31 over the S fold 15 is
caught in a gutter formed by trailing edge 14, gutter surface 16
and S fold 15. The water caught by the shingle gutter surface 16 is
directed to flow down to the open lower edge 18 of the shingle and
is prevented by folded trailing edge 14 from flowing under the
adjacent shingle adjacent to the left side of shingle 31, and
instead is guttered onto the center of the top of the next lower
shingle.
The arrangement of several interlocked shingles 31, 35, 36, 37, of
which shingle 31 is typical is shown in FIG. 8. The right side, or
leading, edge 20 of the shingle 31 (FIG. 1) is not folded. To
assemble adjacent shingles 31 together, as illustrated by shingles
31, 35, 37 in FIG. 8, this leading edge 20 of one of the shingles,
for example, shingle 31, is positioned over the trailing edge 14
and gutter surface 16 and inserted into S fold 15 of a next
adjacent shingle located to the right of the shingle 35. When so
assembled, the gutter surface of one shingle 35 is covered by the
leading edge 20 of the adjacent shingle 31, but any water that gets
under leading edge 20 and onto the gutter surface 16 will run out
of the open lower edge 18 (FIG. 1), as described above, onto the
top surface of the next lower shingle 36 (FIG. 8).
Referring again to FIG. 1. The upper folded-over edge 2 has a
leading-side edge 26, which extends all the way to edge 20 and
slides over the upper trailing side edge 28 of the folded over edge
2 of the next shingle to the left when right edge 20 of that next
shingle to the left is inserted into fold 15. Accordingly, when the
next adjacent shingle to the left has its leading edge 20 inserted
into S fold 15 of shingle 31, the trailing-side edge 28 of
fold-over edge 2 will underlap the leading-side edge 26 of the
fold-over edge 2 of the shingle to the left being inserted.
The lower folded-under edge 12 has a leading-side edge 30 which can
be tapered, or slant cut, from the right side leading edge 20 to
provide for easy insertion of leading edge 20. The trailing-side
edge 32 of the fold-under lower edge 12 can also be slant cut back
from the trailing side of the S fold 15. Thus, when the leading
edge 20 of the next adjacent left side shingle is inserted into S
fold 15, there will be a gap between folded-under edge 12 of the
shingle 31 with the folded-under edge of the inserted shingle. This
gap allows water flowing down the gutter surface 16 and caught by
the folded-under edge 12 of the inserted shingle to flow out onto
the top surface of the next lower shingle.
In FIG. 2, a plurality of folds 30 are made in a large shingle 32
to form a panel giving the appearance of it being a plurality of
smaller subshingles. Shingle panel 32 is preferably cut and folded
from some decorative metal such as copper or metal protected by
resin based coating system (Kynar 500 is a registered trademark of
Elf Atochem North America, Inc.) Kynar 500. Its dimensions are
around 31.4 inches wide by 11 inches high. Three folds 30 are made
to form shingle panel 32 into four subshingles 7.4 inches wide by
9.75 inches high, dimensions similar to standard cedar shake or
slate roofing. All four S folds 15 and 30 have the same
orientation, so that the four small subshingles have their left
sides slightly higher than their right sides. This feature is
especially apparent in FIG. 3.
FIG. 3 shows a lower edge view of the shingle panel 32 of FIG. 2
and is also representative of a cross-section cut along line F. The
amount of space between the folded surfaces is exaggerated for
clarity. Folds 14, 15, and 30 are all approximately one half inch
deep. Folds 14, 15, and 30 are made before folds 2 and 12.
FIG. 4 shows a side view of shingle panel 32. Fold 12 and fold 2
are approximately three quarters of an inch deep.
In a third preferred embodiment, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the
shingle panel is folded to form many small subshingles, but every
other subshingle is slightly higher than its neighbor. This effect
is accomplished by making folds 30 in alternating directions within
shingle panel 33, as shown in FIG. 5. In FIG. 6, it can be seen
that the alternating pattern of high and low subshingles will be
carried into the next shingle panel on both sides. Low end 20 is
inserted into high fold 15 of the next shingle panel. FIG. 9 shows
two of the shingle panels of FIG. 5 interlocked as they would be
for mounting on a roof.
FIG. 7 shows the shingle panel of FIG. 5 before it is folded. The
dotted lines indicate where folds will occur. FIG. 7 shows that the
cuts 38 made in the top edge 2 of shingle 33 are smaller than the
cuts 39 made in the lower edge 12. Large cuts 39 leave slight gaps
in folded-under edge 12 to allow water to flow down folds 30,
through the gaps, and out onto the shingle below. Cuts 38 are
smaller, so that no gap is left in folded-over edge 2. Thus, there
is no gap in the folded-over top edge 2 so that water migrating up
a shingle cannot flow through a gap onto the roof under the
shingles.
FIG. 8 shows eight of the shingles of FIG. 1 interlocked. Shingle
35 is located so that its gutter 16 guides water into the center of
the top surface of shingle 36. Also, fold 2 of shingle 36 is
inserted into fold 12 of shingle 35. Shingle 37 is to the right of
shingle 35, and edge 20 of shingle 35 is inserted into fold 15 of
shingle 37.
FIG. 9 shows two of the shingle panels of FIGS. 5 and 6
interlocked. Top panel 40 is above, and offset from, lower panel
41. As seen in FIG. 9, when several panels according to the present
invention are interlocked, it is impossible to discern whether a
fold is the end of a panel or a fold 30. In the preferred
embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the heights of the subshingles
alternate. Interlocked shingle panels of the preferred embodiment
shown in FIGS. 2 through 4 would have the left side of each small
subshingle slightly higher than the right side. Thus, their
appearance is exactly the same as interlocked shingles of the
preferred embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIGS. 10 through 14 show a fourth preferred embodiment of the
present invention. FIG. 13 shows a shingle 54 designed to interlock
with shingle 53 of FIG. 10 on either side, on the top, or on the
bottom. Shingle 53 has two unfolded edges 55 and 56 which can slide
into S-folds 60 and 64, respectively, of a shingle 54. Shingle 54
also has folds 58 and 62 which combine with folds 60 and 64 to form
gutters 59 and 63.
FIG. 12 shows a lower edge view of shingle 53 and is also
representative of a cross-section taken along line B. FIG. 14 shows
a lower edge view of shingle 54 and is also representative of a
cross-section taken along line C. As is apparent from these
drawings, right edge 55 of shingle 53 can slide into left S-fold 60
of shingle 54, or left edge 56 can slide into right S-fold 64,
interlocking the two shingles. The top surface 4 of shingle 53 is
depressed slightly lower than the top surface 4 of shingle 54 when
the two are interlocked, as described above.
The two shingles 53 and 54 also interlock vertically. FIG. 11 shows
a side view which is accurate for both shingles 53 and 54. Thus,
top fold 2 of shingle 53 slides into bottom fold 12 of both
shingles 53 and 54 of the upper course of shingles. As well, the
top fold 2 of shingle 54 slides into bottom fold 12 of both shingle
53 and 54 of the upper course of shingles.
When several of shingles 53 and 54 are interlocked, they have the
same appearance of varying height shown in FIG. 9.
FIG. 15 shows a hip and ridge panel 44. Fold 46 folds upward and
fold 47 folds under so that fold 46 of one hip and ridge interlocks
with fold 47 of the next hip and ridge to the right. Hip and ridge
panel 44 will be folded under about one half inch at edges 13 once
the desired vertical length is determined. The fold formed at edges
13 is for appearance only, and does not interlock with any of the
shingles described herein. S-folds 45 form three small hip and
ridge sections in the large panel 44.
FIG. 16 shows a universal endwall 50. Right edge 20 is unfolded to
allow insertion into S-fold 15 of another endwall. Fold 14,
together with fold 15, forms gutter 16. Endwall 50 will be folded
under around one half inch at edge 11 once the desired length is
determined. The fold formed at lower edge 11 will thus interlock
with any of the shingles described herein.
While the invention has been described with respect to preferred
embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the
art that various changes in detail may be therein without departing
from the spirit scope, and teaching of the invention.
* * * * *