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 lock 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 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 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: A method of manufacturing a roofing shingle includes coating a continuously supplied shingle mat with roofing asphalt to make an asphalt coated sheet. A first portion of granules is applied onto the asphalt coated sheet, wherein the first portion contains substantially no anti-microorganism granules. A second portion of granules is applied over the first portion of granules, wherein the second portion of granules comprises granules and anti-microorganism granules. The granules and anti-microorganism granules which are not adhered to the asphalt coated sheet are the removed.

Abstract: A shock absorber assembly for a finish looper that reduces breaks of a asphalt-coated sheet. The finish looper includes a plurality of looper rolls forming a plurality of free hanging loops of the asphalt-coated sheet. The shocker absorber assembly is mounted on a frame structure capable of relative movement with respect to the looper rolls. The shock absorber assembly includes a plurality of rolls including an indexing roll, a guide roll, and a shock roll positioned between the indexing roll and the guide roll. Just prior to the last free hanging loop being completely payed out, the shock roll is in an up position and the indexing roll is in a down position. When the asphalt-coated sheet is further payed out, the asphalt-coated sheet engages the indexing roll and causes it to pivot from the down position to an up position. The weight and acceleration of the adjacent, upstream free hanging loop causes the shock roll to move from the up position to the down position.