Abstract: A method of covering a roof deck includes laying a course of starter shingles in a side-by-side relationship at an eave edge of a roof deck. A starter shingle of the course of starter shingles is a laminated starter shingle comprising an underlay sheet laminated below an overlay sheet. A plurality of successive generally horizontal courses of covering shingles are laid above the course of starter shingles. The covering shingles in each of the courses of covering shingles are laid in a side-by-side relationship and horizontally offset from the covering shingles in adjacent courses. Each covering shingle of the courses of covering shingles includes a headlap portion and a butt portion. The butt portion includes a plurality of tabs separated by cutouts. The starter shingles include an exposed portion extending between the tabs of the covering shingles.

Abstract: A system and method for cutting shingles according to which a plurality of cutting blades are mounted on the outer circumference of a cutting cylinder, and the cylinder is rotated with the blades engaging the sheet while effecting relative translational movement between the cylinder and the sheet so that shingles are cut from the sheet upon one rotation of the cylinder.

Abstract: A metal panel shear cutter is designed for metal panels which include support ribs. The metal panel cutter utilizes an anvil type cutting blade positioned at each side of a cutting base. Each cutting blade is pivotally connected to a cutting base in the vertical plane. The cutting base also includes supports for the ribs of the panels to allow for a smooth and clean cut of the panel. The cutting blades and a small portion of the cutting base are pivotally connected to the cutting base in the horizontal plane so they may be pivoted to the desired cutting angle while the metal panel remains fixed with respect to the base. This pivotal portion of the base includes additional supports for the ribs of the panel. These supports are adjustable to accommodate the various angles at which the panels are to be cut.

Abstract: In a rectangular composite shingle unit including (a) a top sheet having a lower butt portion which is longitudinally divided into spaced tabs and an upper undivided headlap portion having a horizontal line of markings immediately above the butt portion indicating nailable sites for attachment of the shingle unit to a roof deck and (b) a continuous, elongated backer strip underlying the tabs and nail markings of the headlap which is aligned in offset or flush position along the longitudinal margin of the butt portion and which extends from the bottom edges of the tabs to the top area of the nail line markings; the improvement which comprises a backer strip having a plurality of extended projections on the top longitudinal margin of said backer which projections are spaced apart and vertically extend upwardly beyond the nail line markings and underlay the headlap portion of the top sheet.

Abstract: A method of making shingles includes coating a shingle mat with roofing asphalt to make an asphalt-coated sheet, and covering the asphalt-coated sheet with granules to form a granule-covered sheet along a longitudinal axis, the granule-covered sheet having a shadow patch thereon, the shadow patch having a first width along the longitudinal axis. The granule-covered sheet is divided into an overlay sheet and an underlay sheet, the shadow patch being on the underlay sheet. A pattern of tabs and cutouts is cut in the overlay sheet, one of the tabs of the pattern being a select tab having a second width along the longitudinal axis, the second width of the select tab being less than the first width of the shadow patches. The relative longitudinal positions of the shadow patch and the select tab are synchronized.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided to place a series of timing marks on a granule covered roofing sheet. A rotary pattern cutter cuts a pattern of tabs and cutouts in the continuous granule covered sheet. The rotary position of the pattern cutter and the position of the timing marks are sensed, and the position of the continuous granule covered sheet with respect to the rotary position of the pattern cutter is synchronized in response to the sensed position of the timing marks and the sensed rotary position of the pattern cutter.

Abstract: A portable apparatus for cutting roofing shingles at various angles comprises a rigid frame assembly, a first cutting blade affixed to the frame assembly, a cutting blade assembly comprising a blade-supporting arm pivotally attached to the frame and a second cutting blade affixed to that arm and extending parallel to the first cutting blade, the cutting blade assembly being pivotable so as the second cutting blade can be pivoted into and out of a shingle-shearing relationship with the first cutting blade, and the blade-supporting arm being adjustable laterally of the first cutting blade so as to assure a clean shearing action. A movable guide fence assembly mounted on the frame accurately determines the angle at which a shingle is to be cut.

Abstract: A method for making laminated roofing shingles includes providing a substantially continuous sheet of shingle material, cutting the sheet material at a first cutting station to define a first pair of longitudinal strips having interdigitating tabs with a first pattern length, further cutting the sheet to define a second pair of longitudinal strips, further cutting the sheet at a second cutting station to define a third pair of strips having interdigitating tabs with a second pattern length, laminating together one of the first pair of strips, one of the second pair of strips and one of the third pair of strips in overlapping relation to form a substantially continuous three-layer laminated strip in which one of the second pair of strips is the lowermost layer and having the tabs of the remaining two strips oriented in a common lateral direction, and cutting the laminated strip into uniform longitudinal lengths whereby laminated roofing shingles are made.

Abstract: A tool and a method for cutting and installing roofing shingles. The tool includes a base with a work surface and a cutter for cutting shingles placed on the work surface. The work surface include at least one limiting pedestals which includes an edge at a distance from the work surface, so that several shingles stacked over one another and placed over the work surface and slid against the edge of the limiting pedestal to expose different proportions of the shingles to the cutter to produce shingle sections of different sizes. The different sized shingle sections are then used to start the rows of shingles placed on the roof to be covered with shingles.

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: 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 shingle cutter that is portable and can be temporarily attached to and used on the roof with the roofing nails used on the job. The power for cutting results from the housing of the cutting wheel being manually drawn back towards the operator. The shingle cutter has a structural base and two vertical end walls that support a rectangular rack, which holds the cutting block. In one version the rack drives a pinion, which in turn drives the cutting wheel. In a second version, the cutting wheel is free to rotate as it is pulled through the shingle. The cutting block is constrained by rollers in contact with the top and bottom of the rectangular guide bar so that the cutting wheel moves to perform a shearing function with an abutting shear ledge mounted on the structural base.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making laminated roofing shingles includes providing a substantially continuous sheet of shingle material, cutting the sheet material at a first cutting station to define a first pair of longitudinal strips having interdigitating tabs with a first pattern length, further cutting the sheet to define a second pair of longitudinal strips, further cutting the sheet at a second cutting station to define a third pair of strips having interdigitating tabs with a second pattern length, laminating together one of the first pair of strips, one of the second pair of strips and one of the third pair of strips in overlapping relation to form a substantially continuous three-layer laminated strip in which one of the second pair of strips is the lowermost layer and having the tabs of the remaining two strips oriented in a common lateral direction, and cutting the laminated strip into uniform longitudinal lengths whereby laminated roofing shingles are made.

Abstract: A tool and a method for cutting and installing roofing shingles. The tool includes a base with a work surface and a cutter for cutting shingles placed on the work surface. The work surface include at least one limiting pedestals which includes an edge at a distance from the work surface, so that several shingles stacked over one another and placed over the work surface and slid against the edge of the limiting pedestal to expose different proportions of the shingles to the cutter to produce shingle sections of different sizes. The different sized shingle sections are then used to start the rows of shingles placed on the roof to be covered with shingles.

Abstract: A shingle severing device includes a cutter pivotably secured to a work carrier. The work carrier mounts spaced blades and the cutter mounts spaced blades alignable with the work carrier blades. A shingle support and fences locate a conventional shingle. With an elongate roofing shingle placed on the support, the cutter and work carrier are moved from an open position to a closed position to sever the shingle along two spaced lines. A stop prevents overtravel beyond the closed position. The severing removes from the roofing shingle a ridge shingle with a trapezoid shaped end.

Abstract: A shingle trimming tool comprises a stationary and and a movable blades with edges. When a manually operated lever is lowered, the movable blade is mounted to reciprocate towards a closed position with the edges in contact and returns to an open position. The blade moves with a sliding action in which the reciprocating edge is driven into confrontation with the stationary edge to pinch work between the blades. When the lever is raised, then the movable blade slides back to an open position. The fixed blade and a pair of matched bell cranks are supported by a frame. The movable blade is supported by the bell cranks which hold the sharp edge of the movable blade parallel to the sharp edge of the lower blade during the entire reciprocal path traversed from open to closed position and back to the open position. The lever is connected to links provides leverage to force the movable blade down into contact with the stationary blade.

Abstract: An asphalt shingle sheet cutting device for quickly cutting an asphalt shingle sheet along a straight line at a variety of angles. The device includes a lower base platform and an upper cutting platform coupled to base platform by a plurality of downwardly depending support legs. An adjustment plate is coupled to the lower surface of the cutting platform. The adjustment plate has a pivot pin downwardly depending therefrom. A swing arm is pivotally mounted to the pivot pin of the adjustment plate. The swing arm has a mounting shaft upwardly extending from the rearwards end of the swing arm. A cutting blade is pivotally coupled to the upper end of the mounting shaft. The front edge of the adjustment plate has a plurality of spaced apart notches for contacting an abutment tab extending from the swing arm to hold the mounting shaft and the cutting blade at predetermined angles.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for making a multi-layer shingle by cutting an anterior layer of shingle material to have a headlap area and a tab area, and with a plurality of tabs being present in the tab area, separated by slotted openings. The tab area of the anterior shingle layer has a predetermined design that has a repeatability in the longitudinal direction, or from one edge of a shingle to another in the right-to-left direction, which repeatability is a function of the length of the shingle between said left and right edges, as well as being a function of the number of tabs in the anterior shingle layer, with the repeatability being smaller or greater than the length of the shingle in the longitudinal direction. Thereby, the apparatus produces an ornamental appearance that has a random, natural-looking effect when the shingles are laid up on a roof.

Abstract: A glass fiber mat includes glass fibers saturated with a binder and then cured. A predetermined pattern of relatively high and low concentrations of binder is formed throughout the length of the glass fiber mat. The pattern produces at least one portion of the mat having a relatively high concentration of binder adjoining a portion of the mat having a relatively low concentration of binder. The pattern of high and low binder concentration is produced during a wet process. Liquid binder is either selectively applied to the glass fibers via an applicator or selectively removed from the glass fibers via a vacuum. Cover panels having predetermined slot configurations are used with vacuum boxes to create the desired pattern. Such glass fiber mats can be cut along an area of high binder concentration to produce cut edges which resist breaking and tearing. Shingles formed from such glass fiber mats have improved tear resistance and pliability.

Abstract: An apparatus for making ceramic tiles for roofs of turrets, including interchangeable cassettes each with a frame, a base mounted thereon and having an upper surface of frustoconical shape, and cutter carriers carrying the tile cutter blades and pivotally mounted on the frame, the tile cutter blades having edges for engaging a tile on the base along a cutting line oblique to a ray of the frustoconical surface, and operable by a drive unit for moving the cutter blades toward each other and into a tile to trim the tile to the shape of an oblique frustoconical segment. A turret roofed with tiles produced by the apparatus. A roofing tile for a turret, with the tile produced by the apparatus.

Abstract: A roofing shingle is provided for shingling a roof with overlapped shingles, wherein the exposed portion of the shingle is selected to be of a height in the installed condition relative to the overall height of the shingle that enhances material utilization, to be at least approximately 44.4% efficient. This is accomplished by using an exposure height of 8 inches relative to an overall shingle height of 18 inches. The shingles are preferably constructed to have either 3 or 4 tabs, thereby having a ratio of exposure height to tab width of either 0.667 or 0.889, respectively. A larger exposure allows one to obtain 200 shingles for each 300 lineal feet of sheet shingle material, when the shingles have 18 inch overall height, and further allows an overall saving in the number of nails required to install a roof. The invention also contemplates variations in tab width within a given shingle and variations in number of tabs from about one to nine tabs in a given shingle.

Abstract: A convertible siding cutter (10) for cutting vinyl or metal siding, comprises an upper knife assembly (26) pivoted to the front one of a plurality of lower knife assemblies (36, 46) mounted on a base (20). The blade (28) in the upper knife assembly (26) can be interchanged with other blades, and an auxiliary lower knife assembly (58) can be used for conversion to accommodate different sizes and types of siding. A safety clamp assembly (64) is also provided to help keep the user's hands away from the blades when using the cutter (10).

Abstract: A shingle cutting apparatus includes a base, a lever arm pivotally mounted to the base, and a pair of diverging cutting blades mounted to the lever arm. The base includes a shingle-receiving surface upon which a shingle may be positioned for cutting. A pair of grooves are defined in the shingle-receiving surface corresponding to the positions of the cutting blades. In operation, the lever arm is moved downwardly against a shingle, and the cutting blades extend through the shingle and into the corresponding grooves in the base. A ruled back stop and a removable end stop are included to facilitate desired cutting of a shingle. The apparatus may be modified to replace the pair of diverging blades with a single, perpendicular blade for cutting straight-line partial shingles. The apparatus is particularly useful for cutting partial shingles in a variety of widths, and most particularly for cutting the conventional six-sided ridge cap shingle.

Abstract: Shingles are formed of a top sheet and a bottom sheet of plastic confining solar energy conversion means therebetween. The sheets are sealed together about a perimeter to form flanges for fastening in overlapped order to a roof. The contour of the shingles is domed to provide for better solar energy conversion efficiencies. Insulation and support members disposed along an underside of the dome sructure provide support to the assembly and insulate the roof. Decorative structure and shingles of this nature permit a roof surface which does not belie its nature as a solar heating system. The plastic sheets may either form flow passageways for a solar heatable fluid or may encompass photovoltaic cells to form unitary shingle-solar conversion structure.

Abstract: A compact, portable cutter device adapted to slit rolls of roofing felt into two or more webs of selective widths for application to a commercial roof. A rigid, box-like external housing is adapted to be supported upon a roof surface near the area where the felt is to be laid. An elongated axle transverses the housing to rotatably secure the roll of roofing felt for cutting. A trough-like cradle is defined within the housing beneath the axle to contain the felt roll. The width of the cradle may be varied by manipulation of suitable end tabs to properly center felt rolls of differing widths. The cradle includes a corrosion-resistant surface to facilitate smooth feeding of the felt fabric from the roll. A rigid, slotted cutter plate defines an interface zone where the cutting assembly is brought into contact with the felt fabric. The cutting assembly includes a plurality of adjustably spaced knives semi-permanently, coaxially mounted upon an elongated, rigid header associated with a foot-powered bell crank.

Abstract: A new and improved method of making an opening extending between opposite faces of thin sheet material comprises the steps of forming a depression in one of the faces of the sheet material resulting in a projection opposite the depression on the opposite face protruding outwardly thereof and removing the projection to form an opening extending completely through the sheet material between said opposite faces.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing sloping roof insulation panels and more particularly, roof insulation panels made of glass fiber material covered by a base cap layer. Such apparatus includes a circular saw capable of producing a groove in at least one of the side surfaces of the panel and a band saw for cutting the panel into a first portion including at least part of the top surface of the panel and a second portion including at least a part of the bottom surface of the panel. The band saw is located in alignment with the groove or grooves produced by the circular saw.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is apparatus for cutting a strip of battery plate material into a plurality of battery plates, which strip of battery plate material includes a series of longitudinally evenly spaced apertures, and which apparatus comprises a plurality of support rollers rotatably mounted on a frame, an endless belt trained around the support rollers on an endless path, which belt includes an inner surface and an outer surface having thereon a plurality of longitudinally evenly spaced lugs adapted, when the strip is overlayed on the belt, to engage the strip apertures for advancing the strip in common with advancement of the belt, sprocket teeth on at least one of the support rollers and a plurality of apertures on the endless belt engaged by the sprocket teeth for advancing the belt along the endless path, a cutter roller mounted on the frame for rotation and for translation toward and away from the belt, which cutter roller has, on the periphery thereof, cutting knives for severing the strip into plates in

Abstract: The subject invention is related to a cutting apparatus for forming individual battery grid structures from a sheet material having cut out portions thereon, the apparatus comprising spaced apart first and second rotatable devices, a plurality of leading knives carried by said first device, a plurality of trailing knives carried by said second device, the knives arranged to cut transversely of the material forming shear lines from the edge of the sheet material to the cut out portions of the material, a plurality of blades carried by said first and second rotatable device for cutting longitudinally of the sheet material along a slit line between adjacent cut out portions of the sheet material, the knives and blades being spaced about the periphery of the first and second rotatable devices and arranged to cooperate to sectionalize and form thereby individual battery grid structures from the sheet material.

Abstract: A shake resaw feed system is used with a band saw for lengthwise sawing of tapered wood shingles from shake blanks or slabs. The feed system includes an endless chain conveyor having flights or push paddles spaced equidistantly apart along the chain for pushing each slab longitudinally toward the blade of the band saw. Along the conveyor are guides including a fence on one side of the conveyor and flexible fingers on the other side of the conveyor for urging the slabs against the fence as they proceed along the conveyor. The fence is automatically shifted laterally during sawing of the slab to produce a tapered cut through the slab. The system also includes apparatus for sensing the thickness of the slabs and for automatically repositioning the fence laterally to equalize the thickness of the shingles cut from the slab.

Abstract: Individual battery grids are effectively cut from a continuous sheet of expanded and pasted grid stock by the method and apparatus herein disclosed.

Abstract: The subject invention is related to a cutting apparatus for forming individual battery grid structures from a sheet material having cut out portions thereon, said apparatus comprising spaced apart first and second rotatable means, a plurality of leading knives carried by said first means, a plurality of trailing knives carried by said second means, said knives arranged to cut transversely of said material forming shear lines from the edge of said sheet material to the cut out portions of said material, a plurality of blades carried by said first and second rotatable means for cutting longitudinally of said sheet material along a slit line between adjacent cut out portions of said sheet material, said knives and blades being spaced about the periphery of said first and second rotatable means and arranged to cooperate to sectionalize and form thereby individual battery grid structures from said sheet material.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for producing discrete blanks from a web of foil or the like lis provided, in which the foil or the like are given continuous constrained guidance during the phase between separation of the web until transfer to a packet or packing machine. Severance from the web is carried out in at least one initial cut, followed by a main cut, during continuous constrained guidance.

Abstract: In an apparatus for trimming a band of marginal feed holes from the marginal edge of a continuous paper web wherein the apparatus has a pair of rotary slitters for slicing the web parallel to its marginal edge and a tractor pin feed device for moving the web toward the rotary slitters, a web chopper is provided which includes a rotary chopper blade in cutting engagement with a rotary anvil for repeatedly chopping the web at its marginal edge. The chopper blade has an inner edge in alignment with the slitters so that the web may be chopped along its marginal edge during the feeding thereof into the slitters which serve to thereafter slit along the web to thereby separate the feed hole band from the web into short strips.