US1928275A - Apparatus for surfacing roofing - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 26, 1933. J. i.. wETTLAUFl-:R 1,928,275

APPARATUS FOR SURFACING ROOFING Original Filed March 28, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l a iig-MTM u/illm/uLu/umm ummm Jules L. Welaufer INVENTOR HJM MLM ATTORNEY 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. L. WETTLAUFER APPARATUS FOR SURFACING ROOFING Original Filed March 28, 1928 Sept. 26, 1933.

Sept 26, 1933- J. L. WETTLAUFER APPARATUS FOR SURFACING ROOFING Original Filed March 28, 1928 L Sheets-Shea?. 3

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Sept. 26, 1933. J. L. WETTLAUFER 1,928,275

APPARATUS FOR SURFCING' ROOFING' Original Filed March 28, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jules Lwemaufer INVENTOR BY )dig/1MM ATTORNEY Patented Sepia 26, i933 nutren sraras garant orifice 265,484. Divided and this application December 3l, i930. Serial No. 505,717 l a claims.

This is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 265,484. filed March 28th, 1928.

This invention relates generally to mixing devices for producing various mixtures of solid 5 granular or comminuted materials, and finds one particular adaptation in the prepared roofing industry wherein mineral materials are employed in the process of manufacture. Roofing prepared in this way generally comprises a foundation of felted fibrous material which is saturated in sheet form with waterproofing material of lthe character of asphalt, and is also provided with a waterproof and weatherproof coating of asphalt on one or both surfaces thereof, and in some instances on the edges thereof which are exposed to the weather when the roong is applied on a roof. The waterproof coating on the surface of the sheet which is to form the exposed portion of the finished roofing product is usually provided with a wearing surface of grit, such as crushed slate or similar material, in order to protect the waterproof coating and to provide a finishing surface for the product.

Granular material which has been found suitable for this purpose lends itself very well to the production of roofing material of this character having a widevariety of kcolors or color arrangements on the exposed face thereof.

At the present time there is a considerable deing material ofother than avsolid color. Attempts have been made to produce roofing surfaced wityh various colors but the general result has been that when the roofing material is laid up on the roof the variouscolors appear to the eye of the observer either in mathematical regularity or they are otherwise distributed over the roof as to be displeasing to the eye, or in any event do not meetthe demand which now prevails for a roof of a` number of colors blended into one another or distributed over the roof in such haphazardand irregular fashion as 'to effect a harmonious and pleasing color arrangement with no patterning or striping of the colors at one or more places along thearoof.

It will be understood that prepared roofing of the type here referred to may be either in the form of sheets or as -individual shingles, oras the socalled strip shingles of commerce. l

0 Strip shingles and individual shingles which can be laid so as to produce a nished roof meeting the requirements of a harmonious and artistic color arrangement as above noted, are being manufactured today, but in order to avoid'the objections alrea' described it is necessary to mand for this type of roong finished in surfacg produce a series of .separate stocks of the shingles, the color arrangement in the shingles of each stock being either wholly or partly different from thatV of the shingles of the other stocks, and the shingles of the separate stocks being thereafter assembled in accordance` with a predetermined plan so that when they are taken by the workman laying the roof, from the package containing them, and laid up in vregular order, the nished roof will have the desired haphazard varrangement of the colors. The necessity for making separate runs for producing the shingles of the dierent series, is .open to objection, since it entails a large amount of storage space for the accumulation of the stocks which are to be mixed, and furthermore the assembling of the shingles of the various series requires additional labor and other expense.

The .primary object of my invention resides in the provision of mechanism which can be very readily adopted in the manufactiu'e of prepared roofing and by means of which colored mineral granules or other surfacing material may be combined and applied to the roofing sheet in such a way that successive shingles or strip shingles having varying *arrangements of color thereon, may be cut from the sheet and immediately pack aged without the necessity for assortment and reassemblage.

With these and other objects in View, my invention consists in the organization, arrangement and combination of elements as will pres-- ently appear, and for a more complete understanding of the same and the advantages thereof, reference may be had to the following more detailed description and to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of one form of apparatus in which the present invention may be embodied,

Figure 2 is a plan view of part of the mechanism shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a vvertical view in section taken along line 3-3 of Fig-urev 1, through one of the compartments for containing the mineral grit to be applied to the roong sheet and the means for delivering the material from the hopper to the sheet, v

Figure 4 is a detail view in planiof mechanism which may be employed in the compartments in accordance with my invention, t

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing certain of the mechanism shown in Figure 4, partially removed from operative position,

Figure 6 is a collective view in detail, of certain of the devices appearing in Figures 4 and 5.

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing the parts in another position.

Figures 8, 9 and 10 are detail views in plan of various arrangements of certain of the parts that may be employed in carrying'out my invention,

Figure 11 is a view showing a baflling plate that may be employed in conjunction with the invention.

Figure 12 shows an arrangement for securing certain ornamental effects in accordance with the invention.

It will be understood that the sheet of felt forming the foundation of the roofing material, saturated to the extent desired with waterproofing liquid such as molten asphalt and coated on one or both faces thereof with 'high' melting point blown asphalt, is fed with the sticky'asphalt on the surface thereof, continuously bene'ath the mechanism for applying the surfac-y ing material to the surface of the sheet which isto form in the finished product the exposed face thereof. Generally the opposite surface of the sheet when provided with coating, is covered with some non-adherent material such as finely powdered mica or talc, although it is within the contemplation of my invention that after one surface of the sheet has been covered with the granular surfacing material the sheet may be reversed by any suitable mechanism so that in the further travel thereof it will present its opposite surface to a surfacing mechanism similar to that employed in the first instance so as to cover the opposite side with granular material which may be of a character similar to or different from that on the first side and with a color larrangement either duplicating that on the first side, or different therefrom.

It will also be understood that after the surfacing material has been applied to the sheet the latter is fed ,around suitable pressure rolls to cause the granular substance to be more firmly imbedded in the lasphalt coating, whereafter the sheet may be formed into rolls of desired size or cut into individual or strip shingles of any suitable or desirable shape.

Referring in detail to the drawings, S indicates a section of asphalt saturated and coated roofing felt as it is proceeding beneath the surfacing mechanism. In the production of this type of roofing it is generally the common practice to deposit the granular mineral surfacing in such way as to form a plurality of ribbonswof various colors or shades upon the sheet, which, in the case of strip shingles cut transversely from the sheet,

corresponding to tabs of the shingle strip. In-

the mechanism shown on the drawings, three distinct streams of color -are deposited so as to produce' three distinct ribbons extending longitudinally of the sheet, these ribbons or stripes of color being of approximately equal width, but obviously, the number, as well as the relative widths of the stripes,.may be varied as desired. Each of (these streams is produced by one of the series of 'compartments A, B, C, each of which is divided off into separate compartments wherein a constant supply of mineral of the desired primary colors is maintained.

The individual compartments are indicated in each series by the numerals 1,'2, 3 and 4, after the letter representing the respective series.

.The compartment series are preferably formed as elongated cylindrical containers provided on the interior thereof with vertical partitions 40,

' as will be more fully explained hereinafter, with granular material contained in one or more of `the other compartments in the same series. In one embodiment of my invention, I associate with each of the series of compartments a rotatable blending disk 42 which is so constructed as to be capable of producing, when used in conjunction with certain control plates as will be more'fully explained, various mixtures of mineral from the compartments composing each series. In the form shown, the blending disks 42 may be simply flat circular plates of metal or other suitable wear-resistant material, and, as illustrated in Figures 4 to'7, may be formed with an arcuate series of perforations 43 and a plurality of radial series of openings 44.

The blending disks 42 are each mounted for rotation upon an inwardly directed bearing flange 45 formed at the upper end of a funnel shaped chamber 46 which is adapted to receive the mineral withdrawn from the corresponding compartment series for delivery to the coated sheet.

In order to effect rotation of the blending disks 42, the latter are each provided with a hub portion 47 suitably connected to a rotatable shaft 48 so that upon rotation of the latter the disk 42 connected therewith will be caused to rotate. The shafts 48 may be journalled in suitable supports and connected in any convenient way with a source of power. As shown; the connections of the shafts with the source of power may be through the gears 49 fixed to the respective shafts and meshing with similar gears 50 which may be connected with a main drive shaft (not shown). The connection of the shafts 48 with the main drive shaft i's preferably such that independent control may be exercised over the speed or direction of rotation of each of the shafts, so that any one or more ofthe shafts may either be disconnected at will or independently manipulated so as to increase or decrease the speed thereof in relation to the speed of rotation of the other shafts. Conveniently, and with advantage, in many instances, these connections may, if desired, include suitable variable speed devices.

For the purpose of producing various predeterminedmixtures of material from the compartments in each series, I employ in conjunction with\the rotating discs 42, flat control plates 5l, such asshownby way of example, in Figures 4 to 7, these plates beingvadapted forinlsertion .be-

low the compartments in each series, and when- Legame "against the exterior surface of the outer wall, of

the compartments and with a handle portion 53 to permit ready insertion and removal of the plates. In order to facilitate the insertionoffthe control plates in the compartments and their removal therefrom, they may be formed with radial openended slits 55 for co-operation with vertical gindeplates 56 xed within each of the compartments adjacent the lower end thereof.

In order to relieve the disk and control plates fromv the bulk of the weight of material in each compartment, I may provide cone-shaped pans 5,4, fixed. within each ofthe compartments at a suitable distanceabove the control plate therein.

As already indicated, the mineral of yprimary color in'the various compartments in. each series may be unitedl and intermingled in such a way as to produce a stream of granules, the composition of which may be varied depending 4upon vthe relative arrangement of the perforations in the blending disk and upon `the style of control plate used in conjunctiontherewith. Thus, onearrangement by way of example, is shown in Figure 4, wherein one of the series of compartments, as for example series A, may have the separate compartments Al, A2, A3, A4 thereof, supplied -With i granulesof di'erent colors, the arrangement here being` such as 'to produce` a mixture of approxi` mately three parts of thel material in compartment A3 and approximately one part of the material in compartment A2, with a periodic addi-v 1 tation thereon.. In the compartment A2 there is inserted a segmental control plate 51h, adapted to block out approximately two-thirds ot the area of the surface exposed in thiscompart-` ment by the perforations in the disk 42, during the rotation thereof. The compartment A3V inthis instance is provided with a control plate Sloot the same type asthe plate 51h, but of lesserradial extent, the proportioning as shown, being such as to block outvone-third ofthe area exposed in this compartment bythe perforations in the disc 42 during the rotation thereof.'L In the compartment A4 a control plate 51d may be employed, this type of control plate being provided-only with an arcuate slot 57 in the-body thereof, Vso

as to block out the radial seriesof perforations 44 in the rotating disk while the arcuate slot- 57 registers periodically with the arcuate series-of perforations 43 in the disk, 42 during the rotation thereof. As will be apparent, during the rotation of the disk associatedwith this series of compartments, there will be constantly formed a mixture of approximately 1- part A.of the material in compartment A2 With'about 3 partsof that in compartment A3`y and to this mixture there will be added periodically the material from Compartment A4, this addition occurring upon th'efregistration `of the perforations 43 in the disk 42 with the-slot 57 in the c ontrpipla 51a` of-thisjompartmentg Manifest-lyA the eiects may be varied to suit the particular type ofmaterial to 'be' pro" duced by a judicious choice of Acontrol plates usedy inthe various compartments.

In some instances, for exampleit may be desirable to employ in each of the compartments in a series, control plates'such as shown at 51d so that the material in ,the compartments will be discharged therefrom only upon the `registration of the perforations 43 the rotating disk 42 withntlre slots 57, in the respective control plates. In this case, as will be obvious, there Willbe a substantially periodic variation in the composition of, thegranular mixture delivered fromthis series. Thus. assuming that the compartment A1 contains a red mineral, the `compartment A2 a green mineral, thecompartment A3 a yellow mineral, and the .compartmentAfl a brown min eral, each of these compartmentsA being fitted with control plates of the `type shown at 51d, and the disk`42 rotating in a counter-clockwise direction, there will be delivered at one stage, for example, a solid red mineral, followed-by a mix ture ofthe green mineral with the red, the proportions of the green mineral constantly increasing and the proportions of the red mineral constantly decreasing until solid green mineral is delivered. rThen, upon the entrance of the perforations 43 beneath the compartmentAS, the green mineral. will be constantly varied by increasing proportions of the yellow mineral in compartment A3 until a solid yellow mineral is delivered, whereupon during the further rotation of the ,disk the brown mineral from compartment A4 becomes mixed in gradually increasing quantity with the yellow mineral from compartment A3 lWhile ,the proportion of yellow decreases until solidv brown mineral is delivered, which is then varied Vby the increasing -amounts of the red mineral in compartment A1 as the disk continues lto rotate, land so on, the series of colors repeating itself in this order. Obviously the sequence in whichy the colors are delivered 'may be varied by reversing the direction of rotation of the'disk or by storing` the primary colors inthe compartments or. seriesof compartments in va diierent order. Furthermore, it will be apparent that the rapidity with which the change in the composition of the mixture delivered from the seriesof compartments may be effected, will dependA uponA the speed of rotation of the disk 42 in relation to therate-of travel of the sheet of roonmateriah the more rapid the rate of rotation of the diskfor a constant linear speedof the sheet, the shorter will be the period of the change, and vice` versa. Hence, by connecting the shafts carrying, the gears 50 vwith suitable variable speed mechanism, the speed of rotation of the disk maybe varied as desired so as to increaseor decrease the periodic change in .the composition ofV the-.mineral deliveredfrom the series of compartments. Where themechanism is employed in the manufacture of stripshingles, the rate otrotationiof the disk 42, may, if desired, beA sufciently rapid, in relation tov the linear speed of the` sheet. ofroong base, to cause the mixtures of varying colors to be 'deposited on the sheet in successive areas qcoresponding substantially to the tabs of the finished shingle strip.:

It will .be understood of course,, that the Quangv tity of4,miner^al delivered at any onetime by a series of compartments, is .governedby the size and dispositionvof the perforations inthe blend-y ing..disk relative tothe openings in the cooper` ating control,plates.=and obviously, the lparts must ybe so proportioned as Lto provideat all times a 'now of mineral suncient to cover the desired area of the sheet, and Where, as'shown, a plurality of series of compartments are employed to surface a sheet of roofing base, substantially equal quantities are delivered from each series and the total quantity delivered from all the series should manifestly be ample to completely surface the entire width of the sheet during its progressive travel forwardly.

In actual practice, it frequently happens that the sheet of roofing slows down somewhat in its travel, due to delays at other points along the roofing machine, and not infrequently thetravel of the sheet must be entirely stopped temporarily. It will be obvious of course, that under such circumstances, the perforations in the rotating disk 42 which are not covered or closed oi by solid portions of the associated control plates, would continue to discharge mineral upon the surface of the retarded or halted sheet. The mineral thus accumulating while the sheet is not moving forwardly under normal speed would be wasted, for it would be very difficult to segregate the components thereof or thereafter distribute the same in the desired manner over the surface of the sheet.- I provide means for taking care of such a contingency and f or otherwise enabling the surfacing operation to be conducted under better control.

For this purpose, I provide mechanism including stop plates and means for moving the same to and from a position in which the flow of mineral produced by the associated rotating disk and control plates may be stopped entirely or .diminished to any desired extent., In the form illustrated, this mechanism comprises stop plates 60 adapted to slidably t within the space in each compartment between the upper surface of the rotating disk 42 and the lower face of the control plate therein. These stop plates are of quadrant shape and are provided with a plurality of radial and arcuate series of perforations 60a similar to those in the disk 42, but staggered with relation.,l thereto in respect to the axial center of the compartment series so that when'the stop plates are moved to the position shown in Figure 4, the perforations therein will be out of register with those in the rotating disk and consequently no mineral will flow from this series of compartments. On the other hand, when the stop plates 60 are in the position shown in Figure 7, (the control plates being omitted in this ilgure for the sake of clearness), the perforations therein will coincide with the openings in the disk and hence permit the mineral to ilow therethrough. Between the open position of Figure '7 and the closed position of Figure 4, the stop plates may be caused to rest at intermediate positions in which the openings in the disk 42, will be more or less partially shut off.

In any event, however, the movement of the plates 60 to and from their respective positions, is accomplished by a mechanism preferably designed to move all the plates simultaneously. As

-shown in Figure 2, the arrangement comprises plates 61 adapted for operative connection with the stop plates of the compartments A1, A2, C3 and C4, and semi-circular plates 62a to 62d adapted for connection with the stop plates of a pair of adjoining intervening compartments. Thus, as shown, plate 62a is connected with the stop plates of compartments A4and B1, plate B2b is connected with those of compartments A3A and B2, plate 62c with. those of compartments B3 and C2, and plate 62d with those of compartmentsB4 and C1. The plates 61 `and 62a-62d are each provided with eccentric slots 64 within otherwise secured to ears 66 extending outwardly from the arcuate edge of each stop plate substantially at the mid-point thereof. The stop plates are also formed with radially extending open slits 67 adapted to embrace the guide plates 56 within the compartments so as to maintain the stop plates at all times in proper axial position. It will-,be seen that upon rotativegmovement of vthe plates 61 and 62a, b, c and d the pins 65 will slide within the eccentric slots 64 and cause the stop plates to be moved inwardly or outwardly depending upon the direction of rotation of the operating plates. The movement of the operating plates is effected by the sliding bars 70 and 7l mounted upon suitable supports and guided in their movement by the fixed pins 70a and 71a passing through elongated slots 7Gb and 71h formed in the bars near the ends thereof. Fixed at suitably spaced points along the bars 70 and 71 are a number of pins '72, adapted to' slide, during rectilinear movement of the operating bars within closed slots 73 in the arms 74, projecting radially from the main body of the plates 6l and 62a-62d, the operating plates being pivoted as at 75 in any convenient manner. Movement of the bars 70 and 71 is effected manually by means of an operating lever 76 pivoted at 77 to a support '78 and passing through a slot 79 formed in the bar 80 connecting the bars 70 and 71 for unitary movement.

The operation of the foregoing mechanism Will be obvious. Upon manipulation of the lever 76 the bars 70 and 71 may be caused to slide unitarily in Aone direction or the other, thereby effecting simultaneously rotation of all the operating plates and inward or outward movement of the stop plates connected therewith. l

Hence, when the operator observes a slowing up in the speed of travel of the sheet being surfaced, the flow of mineral from all the series of compartments may be diminished by moving the A lever 76 in the proper direction to cause the stop plates to move toward the position shown in Figure v4, and upon resumption of the normal rate of travel of the sheet, the lever 76 may be manipulated in the opposite direction so as to bring the stop plates to the relative position shown in Figure 7. It will be understood of course, that either in the full or partially open position of the stop plates, the quantity of mineral owing from each series of compartments is substantially the same, while the sequence and relative proportion of mineral delivered from the respective compartments of each series is substantially preserved.

I have heretofore set forth various ways in which different effects may be produced by the mineral delivered from the compartments in one series, and obviously, by the employment of appropriate control plates in conjunction with the disks 42 rotating beneath the other series of compartments, these latter may be similarly made to deliver a iiow of mineral composed of any desired mixture, either of constant or of a continually varying composition of the various minerals maintained in the separate compartments ofthe respective series. While the character of .the flow from the said other series of compartments may be identical with that produced from progresses, it is preferred to make such a selection of colors in the compartments of the various series and to' associate the control plates therewith and operate the driving connections, all in such a way that the mixture delivered from each series will-be more or less different from that delivered from any one of the other series,

,and the mixture from each series being either of constant or periodically varying composition, as desired. Thus, where three compartment series are employed. thesheet may be surfaced with three stripes or ribbons of different colors or shades, and where the composition of one or more of the streams is caused to vary continually. the corresponding bands or stripes on the sheet will vary more or less periodically in color. The color effects to be produced when laying'up roofing shingles or strip shingles successively cut from a sheet of roofing material surfaced as described, will of course, govern the selection of the minerals fed tothe various compartments, and the type of rotating blending disk and control plates to be used therein.-

Asfone illustration of a particular color effect that might'be produced in accordance herewith. I may employ inconjunction with each of the three series of compartments. a rotating diskhaving suitably spaced openings therein and co-operating control plates formed with slots or perforations so related to the openings in the disk that in one position of the disk the charge of mineral delivered from each series will be composed of certain denite proportions of the mineral from certain of 'the compartments in said series. then at a later stage in the rotation of the disk. the stream will be composed of the same'or diierent proportions of mineral from the same and/or other compartments of the series, followed then by a mitxure' composed of either the same or still different proportions of mineral from any one or more of the said and/or other compartments of the series, and then. if desired, by a still diierent mixture of desired composition from certain compartment in the series. the sequence in the com? position of the charge thereupon repeating itself. In Figures 8, V9 and l0 I show an arrangement of rotating disks and vco-operating control plates that may be used in the various compartment series to secure charges of the aforesaid character.

Referring to these figures. the blending disks 42a, 42h and 42o are adaptedto be mounted for rotation in the compartmentseries A, B, and C, respectively.. Within the compartments Al, B3, there may be inserted control plates such as shown at85: within the compartments A2 and B1 there may be placed control plates as shown at 86; within the-compartments A3 and B2 there may be placed the control'iplates shown at 87; within the compartments A4, B3,C2 and C3, control plates as at 88: within the compartment C4 control plates as at 89 -and in the compartment C1, a control plate as at 90. The rotating disks 42a, 42h and 42e are formed as shown, with a plurality of series of circular openingsfarranged concentrically and located .'at various point-s circumferentially ofthe respective disks as shown. The control platesare formed with arcuate slots or perforations as indicated by the letter a following the numerals representing the respective plates, of greater or less radial dimension and at various radial distances from the axial center of the compartment series. Other of these plates, as for example those shown at 88 and 90, are notprovided with slots as just described, but are segmental in shape and of greater above described cycle.

or less radial ydimension'from the outer edge thereof. The foreshortening of the control plates 88 and 90 and the arrangement of the slots in the control plates 8, 86 and 87, is such that desired proportions of mineral will be delivered from selected compartments of each series dur.- ing the continued rotation of the blendingV disk associated therewith, the mineral from the compartment or compartments of each series not desired in the mixture at any one stage during the rotationof the disk, being blocked oi.

In the particular arrangement illustrated, and assuming that the compartments A l, B1 and C1l contain red mineralA the compartments A2, B2 and C2. black mineral, the compartments A3, B3 and C3 green mineral, and the compartments A4, B4 and C4 brown mineral, and referring more specifically to Figure 8, it will beV seen that with the disk 42a in the position shown in this figure, there will be exposed by the control plate 86 in the compartment A2. six openings in the disk. and by the control plate 88 in compartment A4, four openings in the disk. so that mineralv will be discharged from these two compartments in the proportion of three parts of black to two parts of brown, the openings in the rotating disk underneath the other compartments of this series being blocked out, by virtue of the fact that in thisposition of the disk none of the openingstherein are in registration with slots in the control plates in these compartments.

As the disk '42a rotates in a vcounter-,clockwise direction through an arc of 90 it reaches a position wherein mineral from compartments Al and A2 is blocked o by the rcontrolplates therein. while the controlplate 87 in compartment A3 exposes six openings in the disk and control plate 88 in compartment A4 exposes three openings in the disk, thus producing a mixture composed of two parts green and one part brown. When the disk has passed through another 90r in its rotation, the black mineral of compart-v ment A2 is blocked by the control plate 86, while control plates 87, 88 and 85 each expose three openings in the disk so as to form a mixture of equal parts of red, green and brown mineral. Then, as theI disk rotates through another 90 it reaches a position where the control plate 87 in compartment A8 exposes three openings in the disk and the control plate 88 in Compart- 125 ment A4 exposes six openings in the disk, thus forming a mixture composed Vof one part green mineral, and two parts brown mineral. Thereafter, the return of the disk to the vposition initiallyrefe'rred to will eiect repetition ofthe 130 lt will be seen that substantially the same number of holes in the diskare exposed at all times vduring'the rotation thereof, and consequently the rate of feed of mineral from the compartment series is substantially uniform. `It will be understood also, that as the disk continues in its rotation there 'will be a more or less slight blending of the successive mixtures produced at the various stages.

Similarly, rotation of the disk 42h of the com- 140 partment series B, in co-operation with the arrangement of control plates shown in Figure 9, will produce a stream, the composition of which is rst one part green and two parts black, then equal parts of green, black and brown, followed by two parts green and one partV black, and then by three parts red and two parts green. Likewise the stream from the compartment series C may be composed successively of two parts green and one part black, then equal parts of green, black and brown, followed by two parts black and one part green.`

The period of change in the composition of the mixture in the several streams will depend, of course, upon the rate of rotation of the blending disks 42a, 42h and 42o, and while in some instances the rate of rotation may be the same for the disks of all Athe compartment series, it is preferred, in order to produce a more harmonious effect on the roof, free from any appearance of patterning, to connect the shafts 48 for independent operation as heretofore described, so that while any of these streams may be composed of a mixture which changes and repeats itself -relatively rapidly, any one or all of the other streams may be composed of Va mixture in which the succession of the various mixtures repeats itself relatively slowly. Thus, the shaft of the compartment series A may rotate at 35 R. P. M., that of series B at 20 R. P. M., and that of series C at 28 R. P. M.

In this Way, repetition in the arrangement of the colors transversely of the sheet is reduced to a minimum and the tendency towards splotchy or patterned effects on the roof laid with shingies cut from the sheet is thereby practically entirely eliminated.

The mineral discharged from each series of compartments flows through the funnel-shaped chambers 46 to the downwardly inclined chutes for conveying the mixtures to the mixing chambers 81, in which are arranged series of inclined baille plates 82 adapted to effect an intimate commingling of the minerals contained in each stream, the final mixture from the lowermost baille in each chamber being deposited upon the sheetof coated roofing base travelling therebeneath. If desired, each of the baille plates may be provided, as shown in Figure 11 with shallow grooves or flutes extending transversely thereof and arranged to eiect a lateral spreading ofthe stream of mineral so as to cause the components thereof to become more intimately mixed.

'Ihe rotating shafts 48 pass through stuffing boxes 83 in the walls of the chutes 80 and extend upwardly through the chutes and unnel chambers 46 for connection with the res ective rotating disks 42. The funnels, together with their associated chutes, may be removably mounted so as to permit lowering of the shafts toenable the disks 42 to be exchanged, or other parts to be replaced.

I have heretofore referred to the minerals in each of the compartments in a series as being composed of mineral of a single primary color, but it should be understood that in certain instances the minerals in these separate compartments may be composed of any desired mixture of minerals, which mixtures from the compartments in a series may then be combined as' desired, by the luse of appropriate control plates in association with the rotating dis Instead of depositing the mineral upon the sheet in steady streams so as to produce color bands substantially parallel to the longitudinal edges of the sheet, the streams as delivered from the mixing chambers 81 may be caused to oscillate to and fro by any suitable means, as for example by means of pipes or spouts 81a freely mounted for,

oscillation upon a shaft 81h and rocked upon the shaft by a rocker arm 81c-carryin8 Pins 81d on opposite sides of the spout arid actuated by an eccentric disk 81e mounted on a shaft 81f. By thus oscillating the Vstreams .before they reach the sheet the minerals will be deposited in wavy or undulating bands instead of straight parallel bands, and by varying the amplitude of oscillation of the streams, various ornamental effects may be produced in additionf to those which may be produced by the variation in colors as already described. n

It will thus be seen that by my present invention I provide mechanism affording considerable latitude and flexibility of operation, and which is readily adapted to the production of composition roofing not only of any solid shade of mineral or predetermined mixture of minerals, but which is also adapted for surfacing a sheet with a plurality of stripes which may be of differently colored minerals, and the color of which may undergo more or less change as the operation continues so that successive roofing elements cut either lengthwise or crosswise of the sheet, may be packaged directly as they are delivered from the cutting operation without requiring them to be assorted and reassembled in order to produce when laid upon the roof, a harmonious association or blending of colors such asis no'w in great demand in the prepared roofing industry.

Having thus described several embodiments of my invention it will be evident to those skilled in the art that many and devious changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from its spirit or scope as defined by the claims hereunto appended.

I.claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising a plurality of compartments arranged in a series, each of said compartments being adapted tp contain a supply of granular roofing material of desired primary color and a perforated disk operatively associated with said series of compartments constructed for simultaneously discharging therefrom a plurality of streams from the different supplies of granular material contained in said compartments to form a continuous charge of a periodically varying predetermined mixture of the mineral in said compartments.

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising a plurality of compartments arranged in a series, each of said compartments being adapted to contain a granular roofing mineral of desired primary color, means for advancing a roofing sheet to be gritted under said compartments, means operatively associated with said series of compartments constructed for simultaneously discharging therefrom a plurality of streams from the different supplies of granular'material contained in said compartments to forma continuous charge of a periodically varying predetermined mixture of the mineral in said compartments, and means for regulating the rate of flow of said charge in accordance vwith the rate of travel of the roofing sheet.

3. An apparatus of the character described comprising a series of compartments, each compartment in the series being adapted to contain mineral roofing granules of different primary colors, stationary control means associated with said compartments and having discharge openings of differential capacities and a perforated disc cooperating with said discharge openings for rotation therebeneath to simultaneously withdraw roong granules therefrom in periodic succession.

4. An. apparatus of the character described comprising a series of compartments, each hopper i9 Seid series being adapted to contain mineral granules of different character, control plate means having openings of predetermined and differential capacitiessituated beneath said compartments and a rotating perforated disc cooperating with said openings'to simultaneously withdraw a plurality of streams of said minerals of diiferent characters in cyclically varying proportions, means for thoroughly admixing the granules in said streams and v'applying the same to an advancing sheet of roofing.

5. Apparatus of the character described comprising a series of compartments, each of lsaid compartments adapted to contain mineral roong kgranules of different character, aplurality of con-l trol plates detachably and interchangeably asso-1 ciated with the said compartments and a rrotating disc having openings cooperating with said control plates Afor simultaneouslyr withdrawing -a ing the streams thus dischargedy and applying the rsame to an advancing Lsheet of' roofing;

6. Apparatus of the'ycharacter, described com- Uprising a series of compartments, 4,each of said compartments adapted to contain mineralroong l granules of diierentcharacter, means for'simultaneously withdrawing streamsofroong granules from a plurality of'saidfcompartments, and means for continuously changing the Vratio of the granules composedby said streamsiwithout substantiallygchangingtheaggregate volume of thev K granulesof the total or said streams, and means forv interadmixing the simultaneously discharging streams of varying composition and applying the same to an advancing sheet lof roong.

'7. Apparatus of the -character described comprising-a' series of COmpartments, each of said compartments adapted to contain mineral roong granules of different character, means for simultaneously discharging streams of roong granules from a plurality of said compartments, and means for cyclically varyingl the composition of one stream relative to the others without substantially changing the aggregate quantity of the plurality vof vstreams being simultaneously discharged, and means l for admixing the streams and applying the same to an advancing sheet of roofing.

' 1 8. Anf apparatus 'of i the character described comprising a series of compartments, each of said compartments adapted to contain mineral roong .plurality of streams fromsaidcompartments in cyclicallyvvaryingl proportions, means for admixgranulesy of diierent character, control means haying openings of different capacities cooperating-withsaid compartments, a rotatable perforated discperiodically registering with said openi roong granules from a plurality of said compartmentsk in periodic succession, the perforations in y said disc and the openings provided by the cooperative'control means being so related as to insure'afsubstantially, uniformA rate of feed of themi'neral from the series of compartments.

JULES L. WET'rLAUFER.

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