US1802032A - Method of making thick-butt shingle strips - Google Patents

Description

April 21, 1931. F. c. OVERBURY METHOD OF MAKING THICK BUTT SHINGLE STRIPS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Original Filed April 10, 1926 [76718205012 %redewid 6: five 165w April 21; 1931. F. c. OVERBURY METHOD OF MAKING THI CK BUTT'SHINGLE STRIPS iginal Filed April 10, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fate/Mar fia'edemalv flwewfiay.

Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK C. OVERBURY, OF HILLSDALE NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE PATENT AND LICENSING CORPORATION, OF BOSTON, MASSACHU- SETTS, A CORHORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS METHOD OF MAKING THICKFBUTT SHINGLE STRIPS Original application filed AprillO, 1926, Serial No. 101,090. Divided and this application filed July 18, 1927. Serial No. 206,398.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 101,090, filed April 10, 1926, for thick butt shingle strips. v

The invention relates generally to a method of making fabricated roofing elements which are intended to be laid in overlapping courses on a roof, exposing a portion of each element to the weather. The base or foundation for elements of this type ordinarily comprises felted fibrous sheet material, which is usually formed on a paper-making machine, of rag or asbestos fiber or the like. These fibrous sheets are sufiiciently absorbent to be readily impregnated with liquid bitumen or equivalent saturant after which 'a suitable coating of impervious material, such as high melting-point asphalt, is applied to one or both faces of the saturated sheet, the coated areas .while still sticky being surfaced with sand, crushed slate, tile or other mineral matter in granular or powdered form. Individual elements are then out or otherwise separated from the sheet in any desired shape and size. Roofing elements of this type are well known to the art, but have been found objectionable on account of their flat and unsubstantial appearance when laid on a roof,

' also because the fiber ends exposed at the cut edges when the elements ,were cut from the sheet tend to absorb and give off moisture, the

changes in moisture content warping and de- I teriorating the elements. It is therefore an object of this invention to give the elements a more substantial and pleasing appearance when laid b increasing the thickness of the element at t e butt edge. In order that the successive courses ,of elements as laid on a roof may fit more Sun l y one on the other, I provide means for ma ng roofin' elements with butts which are materially thicker than the heads, the thick portions of the shingles being tapered toward the head. Another object of the invention is to form the thick tapeded butts by applying material to the sheet in separate areas before the sheet is cut. The areas may be so arranged that the sheet may be out either transversely or longitudinally to form strip shingles or individual shingles. The thickened butt adds to the appearance of the roof when laid, provides additional weight where needed to keep the shingle lying fiat against those beneath it, tends to prevent curling of the tabs, and economizes on maferigl by reason of the comparatively thin lea It is also an object of this invention to make the roofing strip in such a way that one side will be finished to present the appearance desired when the roof is laid, while the opposite side will carry the extra layer of coating material to thicken the butt portion of the strip. This permits the use of an exceptionally thick butt-thickening coat of thermoplastic compounds, such as asphalt, without detracting from the appearance or durability of the roofing element. The thickness of coating which can successfully be applied in one operation is governed by the thickness ofv consistency or the viscosity of the coating material when applied. In carrying out one method of my invention, I apply a thick tarry layer of asphalt to the butt portion. While a thicker coating may be applied with the asphalt in a semi-fluid rather than a fluid condition, it is more dilficult to make the surfacing granular material stick firmly to such a coating so as to form a satisfactory protective outer layer. It is advantageous thereforeto form such a reinforcing coating on the face of the element which is to be the under or rear face when laid. By applying the thick reinforcing coating of asphalt to the face ofthe element which is to be the under face when laid, I avoid. deterioration of the element due to checking and cracking of the coat. When a coating of blown asphalt is exposed to the weather, the surface is hardened and contracted by the weather conditions, the action of sunlight rays being particularly noticeable. If the coating is too thin, the hardening action extends all the way through and soon forms cracks which allow moisture to en'- ter. On the other hand, if the coating is too thick, the contraction of the surface sets up stresses in the layer, particularly when it is cold and hard, which tend to cause cracks in the coating which extend through to the fibrous layer of the shingle. Between these extremes is a thickness of coating which ives best results in resisting the action 0 the weather. In the case of the blown asphalt customarily used 'in coating elements of this type, the most desirable thickness is from .040 to .070 of an inch. It is obvious that the most serviceable asphalt-thickened shingle is to be 'to be obtained from putting a heavy coating of asphalt on the under side of a shingle strip rather than on the upper arises from the tendency of the asphalt to become more or less fluent according to its characteristics under the heat of a summer sun. While such fluency is slight even in midsummer, the surface of a thick layer of asphalt is liable to slip, especially when weighted with grit, when laid on a roof with a steep pitch. This tendency of thick coating to flow under extreme summer heat is avoided by having the thickcoating on the under side of the shingle strip where it is retained in place by contact with the shingles in the course next below.

My invention further relates to roofing elements to which the butt-thickening coat is applied to the rear face in such a way that it extends over the butt edge and the edges of any slots which may have been formed or cut in the butt portion of the element and merges with the front face coating to form a complete sealing coat covering the butt portion of the element.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic arrangement of apparatus for carrying cut my invention.

Figure 2 represents in perspective a pair of rolls for applying transverse bands of coating material.

Figure 3 shows a fragment of a. sheet coated for transverse cutting.

Figure 4 represents in perspective a set of rolls for applying longitudinal stripes of coating material.

Figure 5 shows a fragment of a sheet after being coated by the rollers shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 shows a fragment of a sheet coated longitudinally with a different arrangement of stripes.

Figure 7 indicates a cross sectional, view of a finished shingle strip, slated dhxthe coated areas of both sides.

Figure 8 shows in cross section a finished shingle slated on the upper side only Figures 9 and 10 are fragmentary views in plan of continuous strips of; roofing material after different steps of treatment.

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic side elevation of apparatus for applying butt-thickening material to the strips;

Figure 12 is an end elevation of the rolls for spreading the butt-thickening material.

Figure 13 is a perspective 0; a finished shingle strip.

Figure 14 is a perspective of a finished strip of a different shape.

Figure 15 is a diagram showing how the strips illustrated in Figure 14 may be cut from the sheet.

Figure 16 is a side edge view of a series of laid strips showing how the successive courses engage one another.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 10 represents a roll of roofing base which may be the usual felt or any other desired equivalent. As shown, the felt is passed through a bath 11 of waterproofing saturant, the xcess saturant being pressed therefrom by suitable rolls 12,13 which are usually heated. The sheet may then be cooled by any suitable means, indicated at 9, such as a number of cooled rollers, refrigerating pipes, chilled air, or any other suitable means. Its upper surface may then be coated as by a spout 14 with any suitable waterproofing compound, such, for example, as blown asphalt. This coating may be distributed by rolls 15 which also serve as a support to guide the sheet between rolls 16, 17. The lower roller 17 is preferably made with an irregular periphery, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The raised portions of the periphery are arranged to pick up a layer of coating material from a suitable heated receptacle 18 and to apply the same to the under side of the moving sheet. Instead of picking up the coating material directly from the container 18, the coating roll 17 may receive it from a feeding roll interposed between the roll 17 and the container so as to pick up a film of coating material from the container and transfer it to the raised areas of the roll 17. The raised portions of the periphery are preferably so shaped that the radii will have a minimum vaiue at the median lines 19 thereof, increasing gradually toward the edges 20. The roll 16 is preferably slightly spaced from the roll 17, so that the irregular surfaces 19 of the roll 17 will deposit spaced transverse bands of coating material which will vary uni-- formly in thickness, tapering from their centers toward their edges.

The sheet may then be passed under suitable hoppers 21, 22, to cover the coated areas on one or both sides with any desired comminuted material, such as crushed slate. Receptacles 23 may be provided to catch the excess slate falling from the sheet after passing the rolls 24, 25. If it is desired to slate the upper side only of the shingle, as in Figure 8, the coating material 29 on the bottom of the shingle may be dusted with some suitable finely divided material, such as powdered mica or talc to prevent sticking. In this type of shingle, the slating defines the upper or exposed side of the shingle, the tapered butt-thickening layer of coating being on the bottom of the shingle, or the side next to the roof when laid. The sheet may then be passed between yieldingly mounted press rolls 26 to press the comminuted and embed it more firmly in the coating. The sheet is then ready to be slotted, if desired, and cut as indicated in Figure 3 along the median lines 33, which are'lines of maximum thickness of the coating 34 and on lines 35 midway between the spaced bands or areas 34 of the coating. The shingle strip thus produced will have a cross section somewhat as inof frusto-conical or double frusto-conical shape, according to their arrangement with respect to the sheet. The slope on the peripheriesof these rolls as shown in Figure 4 is somewhat exaggerated. Figure 5 shows a fragment of a sheet with bands of coating 38, 39, 40 applied by such a combination of rolls as is shown in Figure 4, the dotted lines showing the lines of slitting 36 and cutting 37 to separate the individual shingle strips.

7 It will be apparent that two rolls similar to the roll 31 may be used instead of rolls 30, 31 and 32 to produce a strip with bands of coating 41, 42, as illustrated in Figure 6.

' -If desired, the order of stepsmay be varied. For example, the sheet may be slotted (and also slit if the sheet is to be cut as in Figures 5 and 6) before the coating is applied or before it is passed into .the saturating tank. In either case, the coating fluid will enter the cuts and slits and will thus coat the edges,

as well as the surfaces of the sheet.

The strips illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 'may be so treated. Figure 9 represents a pair of strips of roofing material which may have been slit from a wide sheet of indeterminate length. These strips may be considered as being shown bottom side upward, since the surface appearing in these figures is intended to lie next to the roof when laid, while the,

,opposite surface isto be the exposed surface 'when laid. By applying the butt-thickening coating from above, a thicker coating can be applied than by operating from below. It is desirable to use sheet material which is strong enough to'be self-sustaining over a suflicient span to receive the coating material without a belt or carrier beneath the strip to sustain it as it passes the coating spout. Before reaching the condition shown in Figure 9, the strips may have been split from a sheet 10 of saturated or unsaturated roofing felt, slotted as at 43 by any suitable mechanism for the purpose, the same being well known in the-art, and separated slightly as at 44 to allow coating material to flow over the cut edges and to seal them. Then a band 45 of heavy coating may be applied to the butt portions of the strips as by mechanism indicated-in Figures 11 and 12. The coating material covers the butt portions of the strips and flows over all the edges of the cutouts 43 and the butt edges of the strips, merging with the coating on the front (now lower) side of the strip to form a complete envelope or casing for the butt portion of the finished unit, but leaving the head portion 46 of the rear (now upper) side of the strip free from coating, or from additional coating if the face of the material supplied has been pre-coated all over. The band 45 of fresh sticky coating may be surfaced with grit, powder or any other desired comminuted material as at 47. Individual units may then be cut from the strips as at 48, the part of the end of each unit to be exposed to the weather being a side 49 of a slot 43 which has been pre-cut and coated. The final result may be somewhat as shown in Figure 13, the rear side of the strip being presented to View. Instead of the slots. 43, the strip may have a zig-zagbutt edge 50 as shown in Figure 14, these units being cut from the strip as indicated in Figure.15. The zig-zag cut which maybe used to form complemental strips in any one of a number of designs permits the coating of the butt portions of both strips with a band of coating material which is not much wider than the coated portion of one of the strips. It also applies the coating material to widely spaced tabs in such a way.that only a verysmall amount of the coating drops through to be caught in the container below.

As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the preslit and slotted strip may be led over a guide and supporting roll 15, after which a band of coatmg may be applied as by a nozzle or spout 51 which may deposit the coating directly on the strip or on a spreading roll 52. The spout 51 is preferably of approximately the same width as the band to be applied, the flow being regulated as by a valve 53 or other suitable means. As shown in Figure 12, the roll 52 may be suitably shaped to spread the band of coating 45 in any desired manner according to the shape of the peri hery of the roll. A roll 54 may be located elow the roll 52 to support the strips. The roll 54 may also be arranged to dip into acontainer 18 or otherwise receive a film of coating material to apply to the front (now under) face of the strips. -After' being coated by the rolls .52, 54, the strips be applied, if desired, by means other than the roll 54, in which case this roll may be used simply as a supporting roll to cooperate with the roll 52 without touching the coating material in the container 18. When thus employed, the roll 54 should be heated and provided with a suitable scraper to clean 0 the excess coating material that flows through the cut-outs in and space between the strips from the upper face coating mechanism.

Having thusdescribed an embodiment of this invention, it should be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from its spirit or scope as defined by the appended claims.

1. The process of making roofing from sheet material which comprises coating one side of the sheet with a water-proofing compound, substantially covering said coating with comminuted material, applying coating to the opposite side of the sheet in spaced bands of varying thickness, and cutting the sheet on the lines of maximum thickness.

2. The process of making roofing units with tapered thickened butts which comprises applying to a sheet of roofing base coating material in a succession of areas of ta' ering thickness, the adjacent boundaries 0 successive areas being mutually spaced and cutting the sheet on lines of maximum thickness.

3. The process of making roofing units with tapered thickened butts which comprises passing a continuous sheet of roofing felt through a bath of waterproof saturant, cooling the sheet, ap lyin a layer of coating material to one si e of t e sheet, applying coating to the other side of the sheet in spaced areas of taperinglthiclmess, and covering the coated areas wit comminuted material.

4. The process of making roofing units which comprises slitting .acontinuous sheet of roofing material into pairs of continuous strips, arran ing each pair of strips with butt edges a applying a band of coating material to the ad acent edges and butt portions only of each pair of strips, surfacing the coated areas with comminuted material, and cutting units from the strips.

5. The process of making roofing units which comprises-forming continuous strips of roofing material with cut-outs extending from the butt edge of each strip, applying a band of coating material to the butt portion only of each strip, said coating covering also the butt edge and the edges of the'cut-outs,

surfacing the coated areas with comminuted material, and cutting units from each strip by cuts each registering with a cut-out.

' 6. The process of making roofing units which comprises slitting a continuous sheet 'of roofing base into strips, feeding said strips jacent and slightly separated,

substantially horizontall pair of said strips from a ing material covering and a portion only of the upper surface of the strip adjacent to the edge, applying coating material to the lower surfaces of said strips, and cutting units from said strips.

7. The process of making roofing from sheet material, which comprises forming bands of coating material on one face of the sheet so that adjacent edges of successive bands are mutually spaced, each said band being thickest along its median line and tapering toward its edges, and cutting the sheet along the median lines of said bands and midway between the bands.

8. The process of making roofing of sheet material, which includes forming on a face of the sheet marginal bands of waterproofing material of equal width along the side edges of the sheet and at least one longitudinal hand between and parallel to said marginal bands, said intermediate longitudinal band having substantially twice the width of one of the marginal bands, and cutting the sheet longitudinally along the median line of said intermediate band or hands. I

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

FREDERICK C. OVERBURY.

ove a band of coatapplying to each I an edge of each strip

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