Abstract: An asphalt-based roofing material includes a substrate coated with an asphalt coating, a protective coating adhered to the upper surface of the asphalt coating, a layer of granules adhered to the protective coating, and a web bonded to the lower region of the asphalt coating. A method of manufacturing a roofing material includes coating a substrate with an asphalt coating, applying a protective coating to the upper surface of the asphalt coating, applying a layer of granules to the protective coating, and applying a web to the lower region of the asphalt coating.

Abstract: A laminated shingle simulates a tiled roof 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 substantially identically shaped tabs with a cutout between each tab. The lower edge of the tabs may have a curving or negative contour. The tabs may taper in width from the butt edge to the lower edge of the headlap portion. The upper edge of the cutouts may have a generally straight contour or a generally curved contour. The lower edge of the underlay member may have a generally straight contour or a portion of the lower edge may have a generally curving contour. The overlay member and/or underlay member may include a darker shading area to enhance the tile simulating aspect of the shingle.

Abstract: A siding system including an improved siding strip and a starter strip for assisting in attaching a first siding strip to a side of a dwelling or other stable mounting structure is provided. The siding strip includes at least one integral portion having the simulated appearance of grout or chinking. When two or more siding strips are placed adjacent to each other, this integral portion remains exposed such that the appearance of grout or chinking between the siding strips is simulated. The starter strip is provided with a C-shaped channel that receives a fastener portion or other part of a first siding strip in snap-fit engagement. As a result of this engagement, the starter strip may be inverted to begin installation of the siding strips at the top of a wall or other stable mounting structure while fully retaining its functionality.

Abstract: An in-line mixing apparatus for the substantially continuous production of size to be supplied to a glass fiber forming process. The in-line mixing apparatus comprises a plurality of stages wherein the first stage is a static mixing device in which sizing components are carefully metered into a flow of water or other carrier fluid, and blended together. A second stage, hydrolyzer, connected to the first stage, provides a chamber in which the blended water and size materials are allowed to chemically react as they move therethrough. A second static mixing device may be connected to the output of the hydrolyzer if additional components need to be added, or if additional mixing of the materials blended in the first stage and reacted in the second stage is necessary. The output of the in-line mixing device may be piped directly to the size applicators of the respective fiber producing operations.

Abstract: A nonaqueous sizing for glass fibers useful for reinforcement of polymers. The sizing composition comprises one or more film formers miscible with the polymer to be reinforced, one or more coupling agents and one or more powders. The sizing composition of the invention provides a glass fiber which has improved processability and notched izod without any loss in dispersability characteristics of the glass pellets.

Abstract: A shingle bundle palletizer includes a bundle metering conveyor, an incline conveyor, a pattern conveyor, a lug conveyor, an adjustable height transfer conveyor, a shuttle conveyor, and a pallet removal conveyor. The bundle metering conveyor includes one or more upstream and downstream belts. Each upstream belt is driven by an in-roller, variable speed motor that is independent of each downstream belt. The pattern conveyor includes a pair of outer pattern belts rotatably mounted on a pair of outer pulleys, and a center pattern belt rotatably mounted on a center pulley. The pair of outer pulleys is keyed to a pulley shaft and the center pulley is free-rotating about the pulley shaft to decouple the center pattern belt from the pair of outer belts. The pair of outer pattern belts and the center pattern belt are independently driven by separate motors and belts made of elastomeric material. The shuttle conveyor includes a belt made of an elastomeric material driven by a motor connected to a drive shaft.

Abstract: A method for substantially reducing sulfur-oxide emissions from an asphalt air-blowing process involves adding an emission-reducing additive to the asphalt prior to air-blowing, or early in the air-blowing process, and filtering the flue gases produced in the process. The emission-reducing additive includes at least one metal hydroxide, metal oxide, metal carbonate, or metal bicarbonate, where the metal is sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, or aluminum. The filter is preferably of the fiber-bed type, and removes at least a portion of the sulfur-containing compounds via condensation. The filtered stream of flue gases is subjected to an incineration process before being passed into the atmosphere.

Abstract: Self-aligning shingle members and self-aligning laminated shingle members. The shingle members have at least an alignment strip on the bottom surfaces which mates and nests with the top edge or corresponding alignment strip on the underlying course of shingles. In one embodiment, each of the shingle members has an alignment strip on the bottom surface which nests with the top edge of the underlying course, creating a self-aligning roofing shingle system which is easier to align and install. In another embodiment, alignment strips are provided on both the top and bottom surfaces of the shingle member and the alignment strip on the bottom surface is adopted to mate and nest with the alignment strip on the top surface of shingle members in the underlying course of shingles. This provides a self-aligning shingle system with the appearance of a three-layer laminated shingle structure. The courses of shingle members can also be interlocked together with appropriately shaped interlocking alignment strips.

Abstract: In a method of cutting roofing shingles, multiple webs of roofing material are moved to a cutter. The webs are positioned in stacked relationship prior to the cutter. The webs have distinct portions such as tabs. The locations of the distinct portions of the moving webs are sensed by sensors. End cuts are simultaneously cut through the multiple stacked webs with the cutter to produce separate roofing shingles from the webs. The movements of the webs are controlled, based on the sensed locations of the distinct portions, so that the end cuts of the roofing shingles are positioned at predetermined locations relative to the distinct portions.

Abstract: A baffle adapted to be rolled with a ridge vent is comprised of an L-shaped configuration having first and second legs. The first leg is adapted to extend under the ridge vent. The second leg is adapted to be oriented at an angle relative to the first leg and some distance from the ridge vent when the baffle and the ridge vent are installed. The first leg is also adapted to be rolled. The second leg is adapted to collapse when the first leg is rolled. The invention is also directed towards a ridge vent in combination with the baffle and a method for forming the baffle.

Abstract: A reinforcement liner and methods of manufacturing the liner are disclosed. The liner includes a fabric material having first and second support layers. Each of the layers includes reinforcing fibers. The first and second support layers are oriented in different directions to provide support to the liner in those directions. The liner includes a stitching material that is used to couple the first and second support layers together. The stitching material is preferably an elastic yarn. One of the support layers includes long, chopped strands that are oriented parallel to each other. The long, chopped strands are directed so that they are in the peripheral direction of the finished reinforcement liner. The long, chopped fibers can be distributed continuously or only along portions of the width of the fabric. The disclosed methods of manufacturing a liner include alternative processes by which the liner can be made. The fabric is manufactured in the form of a continuous roll.

Abstract: A method of applying blend drop granules to an asphalt coated sheet includes moving an asphalt coated sheet in a machine direction, and depositing blend drops of granules on a blend drop conveyor that is positioned above the asphalt coated sheet. The blend drop conveyor has an upper flight moving in a direction opposite the machine direction and a lower flight moving in the machine direction. The blend drops are moved from the upper flight to the lower flight of the blend drop conveyor while retaining the blend drops in contact with the blend drop conveyor by magnetic force. Finally. The blend drops are released from the blend drop conveyor for contact with the asphalt coated sheet.

Abstract: In a method of reducing voids in an asphalt roofing product, an asphalt coating material having voids is contacted with a vacuum in an amount effective to reduce the voids in the coating material. A mat is coated with the coating material to make an asphalt roofing product. The vacuum contacting step occurs prior to the coating step. The vacuum contacting step causes the roofing product to have reduced voids visible on a top surface compared to the same roofing product made with a coating material not contacted with vacuum.

Abstract: A method of applying tiles to a roof, the tiles being of at least two different appearances, includes establishing a collection of pattern units, each pattern unit representing an arrangement of a plurality of tiles formed into a specific pattern, the specific pattern of each pattern unit being different from the specific pattern of every other pattern unit in the collection of pattern units. Each pattern unit includes representations of tiles of at least two different appearances, such as different colors. Tiles are applied according to a first one of the pattern units, to a first portion of the roof. Tiles are applied according to one of the pattern units, to a second portion of the roof that abuts the first portion of the roof. Additional tiles are applied to additional portions of the roof, the tiles being applied to each additional portion of the roof according to one of the pattern units, with each additional portion of the roof abutting a previously applied portion of the roof.

Abstract: A method of molding roofing shingles includes the steps of providing a compression mold having two mold bodies, and installing a mold insert in each of the two mold bodies. The surfaces of the inserts are shaped to correspond with the desired shape of a roofing shingle. A multiplicity of roofing shingles are molded using the compression mold. Each molding step includes charging the mold with a moldable material containing resin in an amount within the range of from about 10 to about 40 percent, and filler material in an amount within the range of from about 60 to about 90 percent, wherein the filler material subjects the inserts to wear by abrasion. The inserts in the mold are replaced when they are worn out, but this is done without replacing the mold bodies.

Abstract: A regenerative thermal oxidation system for reducing the VOC content of asphalt vapors.

Abstract: An invention is disclosed which relates to a process for producing a glass reinforced potable water pressure pipe having an ultra thin inner layer of thermoplastic resin that is made via a continuous mandrel concept and which is ideally suited for use with potable water.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing granules onto a moving asphalt coated sheet includes first and second granule feed chambers containing granules that are fed to a discharge slot by first and second pockets. The pockets are formed in a slidable divider positioned between the feed chambers and the discharge slot. The divider is slid between a first position and a second position by a fluid powered actuator via an actuator rod. In the first position, the first pocket is in communication with the first granule feed chamber to receive granules from the feed chamber and the second pocket is in communication with the discharge slot for discharging the granules contained in the second pocket. In the second position the first pocket is in communication with the discharge slot for discharging the granules contained in the first pocket and the second pocket is in communication with the second feed chamber to receive granules from the feed chamber.

Abstract: An asphalt-based roofing material includes a substrate coated with an asphalt coating. The asphalt coating includes a lower region that is positioned below the substrate when the roofing material is installed on a roof. A web is fused to the lower region of the asphalt coating. A portion of the web and of the asphalt coating have been intermingled by melting, thereby fusing the web and the asphalt coating. A method of manufacturing the asphalt-based roofing material includes the steps of coating a substrate with an asphalt coating, applying a web to the lower region of the asphalt coating, and intermingling a portion of the web and of the asphalt coating by melting, thereby fusing the web to the lower region of the asphalt coating.