Abstract: A method for manufacturing laminated shingles achieves heretofore unobtained versatility by employing separate rolls of substrate materials for underlayment and overlayment webs of the laminated shingles being made. The method contemplates that each of the underlayment and overlayment webs are separately coated with an asphalt composition and granule formulation, whereby the asphalt compositions and/or granule formulations and patterns can be different for each of the webs. Each of the webs is subdivided into plural web portions, which are thereafter laminated, and transversely cut for formation of individual laminated shingles. Laminated shingles formed in accordance with the present method may comprise underlayment and overlayment substrates which differ in thickness, with differing asphalt compositions applied thereto, and/or different granule color formulations and patterns applied to the underlayment and overlayment.

Abstract: A shingle stacking machine including a shingle stacking station, a shingle bundling station, and a conveyor for removing bundled shingles from the machine. The shingle stacking station includes a pair of parallel and elongated wheel assemblies rotatably mounted to a frame of the machine. A drive mechanism is provided for rotatably indexing each wheel assembly during a drive mode of operation and permits free wheeling of the wheel assemblies during a jam mode of operation. The drive mechanism includes a motor for continuously driving a vacuum operated clutch assembly. The clutch assembly includes a pair of electromagnetic valves for controlling operation of a drive shaft which is connected to the wheel assemblies through an elastomeric belt drive. The shingle bundling station is disposed beneath the shingle stacking station and includes a pair of shelf-like supports pivotally carried on the machine frame.

Abstract: An apparatus for unstacking or destacking sheets of material from a stack of such sheets is disclosed. The apparatus includes an arrangement for directing air against the stack of sheets in order to entirely separate at least one uppermost sheet of the stack from the remaining sheets by floating that sheet on a layer of air. A pusher mechanism is provided for moving the separated sheet out of registry with the remaining sheets, and into a roller mechanism which displaces the separated sheet from above the remaining sheets of the stack. The apparatus also includes an indexing mechanism for indexing the stack of sheets upwardly in order to float the next sheet of the stack and present it to the pusher mechanism. A sensing mechanism is provided for determinig the position of the uppermost one of the remaining sheets of the stack as the stack is indexed upwardly.