Abstract: A roofing shingle includes a headlap portion and a tab portion. A layer of a first granular material is adhered to a back side of the headlap portion and defines a first surface. A bead of tab sealant extends longitudinally on a back side of the tab portion. A longitudinally extending groove is formed in the first surface of the back side of the headlap portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for catching shingles includes a shingle receiving apparatus configured to receive a shingle moving at a machine speed and a deceleration assembly configured to decelerate the moving shingle upon the moving shingle's engaging the deceleration assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying granules onto an asphalt-coated sheet includes a granule applicator positioned above an asphalt-coated sheet moving in a machine direction. The granule applicator deposits granules into contact with the asphalt-coated sheet along a contact line substantially perpendicular to the machine direction, thereby defining a granule-coated sheet. A granule deflector plate engages the granule-coated sheet downstream of the contact line such that the granule deflector plate rides on the granules of the granule-coated sheet.

Abstract: A demolding apparatus for removing molded building products from a mold has a conveyor assembly to advance the mold in a machine direction. A removal mechanism contacts a dislodged portion of the molded building product and applies a dislodging force to the dislodged portion of the molded building product.

Abstract: Roofing shingles have a top surface, a bottom surface, a headlap portion, and a bead of tab sealant that is configured to bond to an underlying shingle when the shingle is applied on a roof. The tab sealant has a thickness that causes it to extend beyond a face of the bottom surface of the shingle. The headlap portion has a depression extending horizontally across the shingle when shingle is applied to the roof, the depression being spaced from a top edge of the shingle by a distance that will allow the depression to be aligned with the tab sealant of a complementary shingle when the shingles are assembled in complementary pairs, back to back in a bundle.

Abstract: A demolding apparatus for removing molded building products from a mold has a conveyor assembly to advance the mold in a machine direction. A removal mechanism contacts a dislodged portion of the molded building product and applies a dislodging force to the dislodged portion of the molded building product.

Abstract: A method of stacking shingles includes manufacturing a plurality of shingles having a granule covered surface and a bottom surface opposite the granule covered surface. Every other shingle is separated into first and second paths. The shingles in the second path are inverted 180 degrees. A shingle from the first path is positioned onto a shingle from the second path, such that the bottom surfaces of each shingle are engaged, thereby defining a stacked pair of shingles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making shingles includes discharging blend drop granules onto first sections of a moving sheet, and discharging background granules onto second sections of the sheet where the second sections are different from the first sections.

Abstract: An asphalt-based roofing material includes a coating having a top portion containing a mixture of asphalt and igneous and/or metamorphic rock particles, while the mat portion of the coating contains a mixture of asphalt and a filler which contains less than 10% igneous and/or metamorphic rock particles. In other embodiments, the top portion but not the bottom portion of the coating meets or exceeds a pliability standard, passes a weathering performance test, or has a high solar reflectance. In another embodiment relating to a laminated roofing material, the top portion but not the bottom portion has viscoelastic properties effective to prevent the coating from sticking to an adjacent shingle in a bundle. The invention also relates to a continuous process of applying first and second coatings to a mat for manufacturing a roofing material.

Abstract: An asphalt-based roofing material includes a coating having a top portion containing a mixture of asphalt and igneous and/or metamorphic rock particles, while the mat portion of the coating contains a mixture of asphalt and a filler which contains less than 10% igneous and/or metamorphic rock particles. In other embodiments, the top portion but not the bottom portion of the coating meets or exceeds a pliability standard, passes a weathering performance test, or has a high solar reflectance. In another embodiment relating to a laminated roofing material, the top portion but not the bottom portion has viscoelastic properties effective to prevent the coating from sticking to an adjacent shingle in a bundle. The invention also relates to a continuous process of applying first and second coatings to a mat for manufacturing a roofing material.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing roofing shingles including the steps of coating a continuously supplied shingle mat with roofing asphalt to make an asphalt-coated sheet, the asphalt-coated sheet having at least one prime region, applying alternate granules onto the at least one prime region, applying prime granules over the alternate granules to form a granule-covered sheet, and cutting the granule-covered sheet into shingles.

Abstract: An asphalt-based roofing material includes a coating having a top portion containing a mixture of asphalt and igneous and/or metamorphic rock particles, while the mat portion of the coating contains a mixture of asphalt and a filler which contains less than 10% igneous and/or metamorphic rock particles. In other embodiments, the top portion but not the bottom portion of the coating meets or exceeds a pliability standard, passes a weathering performance test, or has a high solar reflectance. In another embodiment relating to a laminated roofing material, the top portion but not the bottom portion has viscoelastic properties effective to prevent the coating from sticking to an adjacent shingle in a bundle. The invention also relates to a continuous process of applying first and second coatings to a mat for manufacturing a roofing material.

Abstract: A method for depositing granules (48) onto a substrate (14) comprises providing a hopper (36) for granules with a discharge slot (46), moving a gate (50) across the slot to open and close the slot so that when the slot is open granules fall from the hopper and when the slot is closed granules are prevented from falling from the hopper, and detecting the speed of the substrate and controlling the extent of opening of the slot by the gate to meter the granules falling from the hopper in response to the speed of the substrate.

Abstract: A laminated shingle has a rendered shadow design when placed with other similar shingles on a roof deck. The laminated shingle includes an overlay member and an underlay member fixedly attached to each other. The overlay member includes an upper or headlap portion and a lower or exposed butt portion with one or more tabs separated by cutouts. The underlay member is coated with a layer of relatively dark granules to form vertically and horizontally-oriented underlay shading areas. In one embodiment, one or both vertical edges of at least one tab are generally parallel to the vertically-oriented longitudinal axis of the vertically-oriented shading area to expose a portion of the shading area.

Abstract: A laminated shingle has a rendered shadow design when placed with other similar shingles on a roof deck. The laminated shingle includes an overlay member and an underlay member fixedly attached to each other. The overlay member includes an upper or headlap portion and a lower or exposed butt portion with one or more tabs separated by cutouts. The underlay member is coated with a layer of relatively dark granules to form vertically and horizontally-oriented underlay shading areas. In one embodiment, one or both vertical edges of at least one tab are generally parallel to the vertically-oriented longitudinal axis of the vertically-oriented shading area to expose a portion of the shading area.

Abstract: A method for depositing granules (48) onto a substrate (14) comprises providing a hopper (36) for granules with a discharge slot (46), moving a gate (50) across the slot to open and close the slot so that when the slot is open granules fall from the hopper and when the slot is closed granules are prevented from falling from the hopper, and detecting the speed of the substrate and controlling the extent of opening of the slot by the gate to meter the granules falling from the hopper in response to the speed of the substrate.

Abstract: Apparatus for depositing granules onto a substrate includes a hopper for containing granules, the hopper having a discharge slot, and a reciprocating gate mounted for rotation across the slot to open and close the slot. A method of depositing granules onto a moving substrate includes providing a hopper for containing granules, where the hopper has a discharge slot. A gate is moved across the slot to open and close the slot. When the slot is open granules fall from the hopper, and when the slot is closed granules are prevented from falling from the hopper. The method further includes detecting the speed of the substrate, and controlling the extent of opening of the slot by the gate to meter the granules falling from the hopper in response to the speed of the substrate.

Abstract: A method of applying blend drop granules to an asphalt coated sheet includes moving an asphalt coated sheet in a machine direction, depositing a blend drop of granules on a blend drop conveyor that is moving at a first speed, changing the speed of the blend drop conveyor to a second speed that is closer to the speed of the moving asphalt coated sheet than is the first speed, and releasing the blend drop from the blend drop conveyor for contact with the asphalt coated sheet.

Abstract: An asphalt-based roofing material includes a coating having a top portion containing a mixture of asphalt and igneous and/or metamorphic rock particles, while the mat portion of the coating contains a mixture of asphalt and a filler which contains less than 10% igneous and/or metamorphic rock particles. In other embodiments, the top portion but not the bottom portion of the coating meets or exceeds a pliability standard, passes a weathering performance test, or has a high solar reflectance. In another embodiment relating to a laminated roofing material, the top portion but not the bottom portion has viscoelastic properties effective to prevent the coating from sticking to an adjacent shingle in a bundle. The invention also relates to a continuous process of applying first and second coatings to a mat for manufacturing a roofing material.

Abstract: Apparatus for depositing granules onto a substrate includes a hopper for containing granules, the hopper having a discharge slot, and a reciprocating gate mounted for rotation across the slot to open and close the slot. A method of depositing granules onto a moving substrate includes providing a hopper for containing granules, where the hopper has a discharge slot. A gate is moved across the slot to open and close the slot. When the slot is open granules fall from the hopper, and when the slot is closed granules are prevented from falling from the hopper. The method further includes detecting the speed of the substrate, and controlling the extent of opening of the slot by the gate to meter the granules falling from the hopper in response to the speed of the substrate.