Abstract: Shingle blanks including a first fold region, a second fold region, a third region, a lower edge and an upper edge are provided. The shingle blank has a length. The first and second fold regions extend substantially across the length of the shingle blank. The second fold region is positioned between the first and third fold regions. A first perforation line is positioned between the second and third fold regions. A second perforation line is positioned between the first and second fold regions. A reinforcement material is positioned over the first perforation line and configured to reinforce the first perforation line. The reinforcement material includes apertures configured to allow an asphalt coating to bleed through the reinforcement material. The first and second perforation lines facilitate folding of the first and second fold regions on top of the third region to form a three layered stack.

Abstract: A submerged combustion melting system includes a submerged combustion melter having a housing that defines a melting chamber and one or more vibration damping devices operatively coupled to the housing.

Abstract: A roofing underlayment with enhanced walkability and/or traction is provided. The roofing underlayment includes a base layer, a first coating layer adhered to a first surface of the base layer, and a melt-blown nonwoven layer adhered to the first coating layer. The melt-blown nonwoven layer enhances walkability by providing a rough surface on which roofing installers may walk.

Abstract: Systems for and methods of evacuating air from a muffler while it is being filled with a fibrous material are disclosed.

Abstract: An exemplary insulator for a flue of a residential oven includes a bendable insulating body having a first end, a second end, and a bending portion. A first cut is disposed between the bending portion and the first end and a second cut is disposed between the bending portion and the second end. The first cut is expandable to form a first opening and the second cut is expandable to form a second opening.

Abstract: A non-woven fiber mat for lead-acid batteries is provided. The non-woven fiber pasting mat includes glass fibers coated with a sizing composition; a binder composition; and one or more additives. The additives reduce water loss in lead-acid batteries.

Abstract: An acoustic insulator is provided. The acoustic insulator includes a corrugated layer and a facer layer. At least one of the corrugated layer or the facer layer is an acoustic paper having a basis weight of 32 g/m2 to 540 g/m2 and an airflow resistance of 500 mks rayls to 2,500 mks rayls. The acoustic insulator is effective for attenuating low frequency noise and exhibits excellent fire resistance.

Abstract: A welder for joining two polymeric sheets together using a wedged heating element allows for a heating profile on opposite faces of the heating element to be varied by controlling where each of the polymeric sheets contacts the corresponding face.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly, aqueous binder composition that includes a metal salt and a polyol is provided. The metal salt may be a water soluble salt, including salts of boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, tin, zirconium, thallium, lead, and bismuth. The polyol may include water miscible or water soluble polymeric alcohols including polyvinyl alcohol. The binder composition may be used in the formation of insulation materials and non-woven mats, among other products.

Abstract: Reversibly cross-linkable foam is provided. The reversibly cross-linked foam includes a first polymeric material, at least one reversibly cross-linkable monomer polymerized with the first polymeric material, and at least one blowing agent. The reversibly cross-linkable co-polymeric foam is thermally stable at temperatures of at least 10 degrees higher than otherwise identical polymeric foam that does not include the reversibly cross-linkable agent polymerized with the first polymeric material.

Abstract: A shingle coating asphalt composition is provided that is produced from a paving grade asphalt. The asphalt composition comprises a paving-grade asphalt that has been modified with one or more polymer additives; and a secondary additive comprising one or more of a viscosity reducing agent, a wax, a salt of a fatty acid ester, and an amide of a fatty acid. The shingle coating asphalt coating composition is used to make a shingle. The shingle includes a substrate, the asphalt, and roofing granules.

Abstract: A shingle includes a substrate having an asphalt coating on a top surface of the substrate and on a bottom surface of the substrate. A surface layer of granules is embedded in the asphalt on the top surface of the substrate. A backdust layer of particles is embedded in the asphalt on the bottom surface of the substrate. A sealant is disposed on the backdust. A hydrophobic material is applied to the sealant.

Abstract: An aqueous binder composition is disclosed that comprises at least one long-chain polyol having at least two hydroxyl groups and a number average molecular weight of at least 2,000 Daltons; a primary cross-linking agent comprising at least two carboxylic acid groups; and a secondary cross-linking agent comprising a short-chain polyol having at least two hydroxyl groups and a number average molecular weight less than 2,000 Daltons.

Abstract: An exemplary roofing system for covering an existing shingle roof with an exposure height measured between bottom edges of adjacent courses is disclosed. The roofing shingle system comprising includes a plurality of reroofing shingles. The reroofing shingles have an exposure portion extending from a top edge to a bottom edge for a height that is at least the exposure height of the existing shingle roof. At least one course of reroofing shingles is installed on at least one course of the existing shingle roof, wherein the course of the existing roof is covered by the at least one course of reroofing shingles. The top edge of the reroofing shingles abuts the bottom edge of the adjacent course of existing shingles.

Abstract: A shingle includes a substrate having an asphalt coating on a top surface of the substrate and on a bottom surface of the substrate. A surface layer of granules is embedded in the asphalt on the top surface of the substrate. A backdust layer of particles is embedded in the asphalt on the bottom surface of the substrate. A sealant is disposed on the backdust. A hydrophobic material is applied to the sealant.

Abstract: An aqueous binder composition is disclosed that comprises at least one long-chain polyol having at least two hydroxyl groups and a number average molecular weight of at least 2,000 Daltons; a primary cross-linking agent comprising at least two carboxylic acid groups; and a secondary cross-linking agent comprising a short-chain polyol having at least two hydroxyl groups and a number average molecular weight less than 2,000 Daltons.

Abstract: A roofing shingle includes a visible region for guiding an installer on proper placement of fasteners that secure the shingle to a surface. The visible region is formed by abrading material from the shingle.

Abstract: Methods and systems for filling a muffler body with a fibrous material prior to completing assembly of the muffler body are disclosed.

Abstract: An environmentally friendly, formaldehyde-free, aqueous binder composition that includes a carbohydrate, a crosslinking agent, and a pre-reacted product of an alcohol or polyol and monomeric or polymeric polycarboxylic acid or polyglycerol is provided. The pre-reacted product may include glycerol and esters of citric acid such a monoglyceryl citrate, diglyceryl citrate, and triglyceryl citrate as well as other higher molecular weight citric acid-based esters. The inclusion of the pre-reacted product in the binder composition helps to speed the crosslinking reaction, induces faster water evaporation, decreases the viscosity of the binder, helps to reduce the amount of water needed for application of the binder, decreases tackiness, and helps to achieve a maximum vertical expansion of the insulation pack in the transfer zone. The binder composition may be used in the formation of insulation materials and non-woven chopped strand mats.