Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METAh SHZNGx.E
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to roofing shingles and more
particularly to a metal shingle having interlocking folding
edges designed to prevent moisture from migrating around the
edges of tree shingle and folds in the middle of the shingle.
2. Description of the Prior Art:
Metal shingles with interlocking edges are known in
the art. U.S. Pat. Nos. Vallee 4,185,436, Vallee 4,~18,g57,
Cosden 3,47,001, Marini et al. 3,269,075, Newlin et al.
3,216,741 and Waske 3,209.506 all disclose interlocking
edges.
A problem with the prior art interlocking'-edge
shingle design is that water tEnds to migrate around the
edges of a metal, or smooth surface, shingle. This problem
is particularly prevalent at the corners of the shingle
where the folded edges may ~.eave a gap close to the surface
of the shingle. Also, the water tends to migrate around the
interlocking folds at the side edges of the shingle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention provide a
shingle with interlocking edges that is resistant to water
moisture creeping around the edges of the shingle.
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In accordance with one aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a substantially planar roofing
shingle having a top surface and a bottom surface, and
further comprising: at least one side edge of the shingle
folded over the top surface of the roofing shingle to form
one side wall of a gutter with the side wall extending from
an upper edge to a lower edge of the shingle, said upper
edge being folded-over toward the top surface, and said
lower edge being folded under toward the bottom surface in a
manner that is adapted to engage a folded-over upper edge of
a lower adjacent shingle; an S-shaped fold, spaced apart
from the folded over side edge fold, to form another gutter
side wall extending from the upper edge to the lower edge of
the shingle, a fold of said S-shaped fold adapted to receive
a side edge of a lateral adjacent shingle; the gutter side
walls formed by said S-shaped fold and said folded over side
edge, and the top surface of the roofing shingle between the
S-shaped fold and the folded over side edge forming the
gutter, said gutter for catching water migrating around the
S-shaped fold and under a laterally adjacent shingle, the
gutter adapted to guide the water caught by the gutter to a
top surface of a lower adjacent shingle.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a roofing shingle having a top
surface, a bottom surface, and a lower edge, further
comprising: a trailing side edge folded over toward the top
surface of the roofing shingle; a leading side edge which is
unfolded; an S-shaped fold spaced apart form the trailing
edge fold for receiving an unfolded leading edge of a
lateral adjacent shingle; said S-shaped fold, said trailing
edge fold, and the top surface of the roofing shingle
between the S-shaped fold and the trailing edge fold forming
a gutter for guiding water from the top surface of the
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roofing shingle to a top surface of a lower adjacent similar
shingle; multiple folds in the roofing shingle at regularly
spaced intervals to form the appearance of multiple
shingles; and a plurality of gaps in said lower edge
adjacent said multiple folds for allowing water to migrate
along said multiple folds and out onto said lower adjacent
shingle.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a roofing shingle, comprising:
a trailing edge; a first S-shaped fold spaced inwardly from
the trailing edge; a leading edge adapted for insertion into
an S-shaped fold of a lateral adjacent shingle; a plurality
of additional S-shaped folds to form an appearance of
multiple shingles; said trailing edge is folded over for
forming a gutter between said trailing edge fold and said
first S-shaped fold; an upper edge folded-over toward a top
surface of the roofing shingle; and a lower edge folded-
under toward a bottom surface of the roofing shingle for
engagement with an upper edge of a lower adjacent similar
shingle.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a roofing system comprising a
plurality of shingles in which each shingle has a top
surface and a bottom surface extending between an upper edge
and a lower edge and between a first lateral edge and a
second lateral edge, and in which each shingle further has:
(i) said upper edge folded over said top surface; (ii) said
lower edge folded under said bottom surface; (iii) said
first lateral edge folded over toward said top surface to
form one side wall of a gutter with said one side wall
extending substantially from the upper edge to the lower
edge; and (iv) an S-shaped fold spaced apart from the one
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side wall of the gutter to form another side wall of the
gutter extending substantially from the upper edge to the
lower edge; a first one of said shingles being positioned
over a part of a second one of said shingles with the folded
over upper edge of the second one of said shingles engaged
with the folded under lower edge of the first one of said
shingles such that the folded over upper edge of the second
one of said shingles underlays the bottom surface of the
first one of said shingles and overlays the folded under
lower edge of said first one of said shingles, and such that
the folded under lower edge of the first one of said
shingles overlays the top surface of the second one of said
shingles and underlays the folded over upper edge of the
second one of said shingles, and further in such a manner
that said gutter channels water caught in said gutter onto
the top surface of said second one of said shingles; and
wherein the second lateral edge of a third one of said
shingles is inserted into the S-shaped fold of said first
one of said shingles in such a manner that a portion of said
third one of said shingles overlays the gutter of said first
one of said shingles while the folded over upper edge of the
second one of said shingles underlays both the bottom
surface of said third one of said shingles and the gutter of
said first one of said shingles such that water migrating
around the second lateral edge of the third one of said
shingles in the S-shaped fold of the first one of said
shingles is caught by the gutter of the first one of said
shingles and is channeled by said gutter of the first one of
said shingles onto the top surface of the second one of said
shingles.
In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a roofing system comprising a
plurality of shingles in which each shingle is an elongated
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rectangular sheet with a top surface and a bottom surface
extending between an upper edge and a lower edge and between
a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge, said sheet
of each of said shingles having a plurality of S-shaped
folds in laterally spaced relation to each other, each of
said S-shaped folds extending substantially from the upper
edge to the lower edge and with alternate ones of said
S-shaped folds in a shingle being folded in opposite
directions from adjacent folds on either side such that
alternate portions of the top surface between the S-shaped
folds are higher than adjacent portions of the top surface.
In accordance with a sixth aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a roofing system, comprising: a
plurality of a first type of shingle, wherein each of said
first type of shingle has; a top surface and a bottom
surface terminating in opposing upper edge and lower edge
and in opposing first lateral edge and second lateral edge;
said upper edge of the first type of shingle having an upper
lip that is folded over said top surface; said lower edge of
the first type of shingle having a lower lip that is folded
under said bottom surface; said first lateral edge of the
first type of shingle having a first gutter with a first
gutter surface between a first side wall and a first S fold,
said first S fold extending between said first gutter
surface and the top surface; said second lateral edge of the
first type of shingle having a second gutter side wall and a
second S fold, said second S fold extending between said
second gutter surface and the top surface; and a plurality
of a second type of shingle, wherein each of said second
type of shingle has a top surface and a bottom surface
terminating in opposing upper edge and lower edge and in
opposing first lateral edge and second lateral edge; said
upper edge of the second type of shingle having an upper lip
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that is folded over said top surface; said lower edge of the
second type of shingle having a lower lip that is folded
under said bottom surface; said first lateral edge of the
second type of shingle having a first tongue portion that
extends substantially coplanar with said top surface and
said bottom surface; and said second lateral edge of the
second type of shingle having a second tongue portion that
extends substantially coplanar with said top surface and
said bottom surface, and further wherein: said upper lip of
the second type of shingle is adapted to engage the upper
lip of said first type of shingle that is positioned
adjacent said lower lip of said second type of shingle; said
first tongue portion is adapted to extend over the second
side wall and second gutter surface into engagement with the
second S fold of said first type of shingle that is
positioned adjacent said first tongue portion of said second
type of shingle; and said second tongue portion is adapted
to extend over the first side wall and first gutter surface
into engagement with a first S fold of said first type of
shingle that is positioned adjacent said second tongue
portion of said second type of shingle.
In accordance with embodiments of this invention,
the above problems have been solved and the above object has
been accomplished with a shingle whose side edges overlap
with the next adjacent shingle. A first, or trailing, side
edge is folded over toward the top surface of the shingle to
catch moisture creeping toward this side edge and to direct
moisture down the shingle to the top surface of the next
lower shingle. A second, or leading, side edge of the
shingle is not folded. Another fold, spaced inwardly from
the trailing side edge fold, and between the trailing side
fold and the leading edge is an "S" shaped fold in the
surface of the shingle. This S fold receives the unfolded
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leading edge of an adjacent shingle inserted into the S
fold. As a result, the fold at the trailing side edge, the S
fold, and the top surface of the shingle between the
trailing edge fold and the S fold form a gutter under the
leading side edge of the adjacent shingle. Accordingly, any
moisture that manages to migrate around the S fold and under
the leading side edge of the adjacent shingle is caught by
this gutter and flows down the gutter to the top surface of
the next lower shingle on the roof.
The top edge of the shingle is folded-over toward
the top surface of the shingle for engagement with the
folded-under lower edge of the next higher shingle on the
roof. The folded-over top edge extends all the way to the
right edge of the shingle so that it slides under the left
edge of the folded-over top edge of the next adjacent
shingle to the right side. The folded-under lower edge
extends along the lower edge of the shingle but preferably
leaves a gap relative to the folded-under lower edge of the
next adjacent side shingle. In this way, water is restrained
from migrating over the top edge of the shingle and is
allowed to flow out the gap between respective folded-under
lower edges of the adjacent shingles.
As a preferred feature of the present invention,
one or more S-shaped folds may also be made in the middle or
midsection of the shingle to form a panel that has the
appearance of multiple shingles. For a viewer, the end of a
smaller simulated shingle is indistinguishable from the end
of the panel.
Other objects, advantages and features of the
invention will be understood by those of ordinary skill in
the art after referring to the complete written description
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of the preferred embodiments of the invention in conjunction
with the following drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shingle in
accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present
invention.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of another preferred
embodiment of the invention with a large shingle panel
having four S folds to give the appearance of four shingles.
FIG. 3 is a lower edge view of the shingle panel
in FIG. 2 and also is representative of a cross-section of
the shingle panel cut along line F in FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the leading
edge side of the shingle panel in FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a third preferred
embodiment of a shingle panel similar to FIG. 2, but with
the S folds alternately facing left and right.
FIG. 6 is a lower edge view of the shingle panel
of FIG. 5 and is also representative of a cross-section of
the shingle panel cut along line A in FIG. 5.
FIG. 7 shows a top plan view of a metal sheet
pattern of the shingle panel of FIG. 5 before it is folded
with the intended folds shown in broken lines.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a plurality of the
shingles of FIG. 1 as interlocked and mounted on a roof.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of two of the shingle
panels of FIG. 5 as interlocked and mounted on a roof.
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FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a shingle in
accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present
invention.
FIG. 11 is a side elevation view of the shingle of
FIG. 10 and is also representative both of a cross-section
of the FIG. 10 shingle embodiment taken along line D as well
as a cross-section of the shingle of FIG. 13, taken along
line E.
FIG. 12 is a cross section view of the shingle of
FIG. 10, taken along line B.
FIG. 13 is a top plan view of another shingle in
accordance with the fourth embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 14 is a lower edge view of the shingle of
FIG. 13 and is representative of a cross-section taken along
line C.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a hip and ridge
panel designed to interlock with any of the preferred
embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 16 is a top plan view of a universal endwall
panel designed to interlock with any of the preferred
embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows a top view of a preferred embodiment
of the shingle 31. Upper edge 2 is folded-over to the top
plan surface 4 to allow engagement with mounting bracket 6,
or with the lower edge 12 of the next higher shingle.
Mounting bracket 6 has a folded-under lower edge 8 and a
hole 10. The bracket lower edge 8 is hooked onto the shingle
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upper edge 2 and nailed to the roof (not shown) through hole
to hold the shingle 31 in place on the roof (not shown).
The shingle lower edge 12 is folded under for
engagement with the upper edge fold 2 of the next lower
5 shingle. The left side, or trailing, edge 14 is folded-over
toward the top surface of the shingle 31. The shingle top
surface has an S fold 15 spaced inwardly from the trailing
edge 14 that divides a gutter surface 16 from the rest of
the top surface 4 of the shingle 31. Thus, water flowing to
10 the left side of the shingle 31 over the S fold 15 is caught
in a gutter formed by trailing edge 14, gutter surface 16
and S fold 15. The water caught by the shingle gutter
surface 16 is directed to flow down to the open lower edge
18 of the shingle and is prevented by folded trailing edge
14 from flowing under the adjacent shingle adjacent to the
left side of shingle 31, and instead is guttered onto the
center of the top of the next lower shingle.
The arrangement of several interlocked shingles
31, 35, 36, 37, of which shingle 31 is typical is shown in
FIG. 8. The right side, or leading, edge 20 of the shingle
31 (FIG. 1) is not folded. To assemble adjacent shingles 31
together, as illustrated by shingles 31, 35, 37 in FIG. 8,
this leading edge 20 of one of the shingles, for example,
shingle 31, is positioned over the trailing edge 14 and
gutter surface 16 and inserted into S fold 15 of a next
adjacent shingle located to the right of the shingle 35.
When so assembled, the gutter surface of one shingle 35 is
covered by the leading edge 20 of the adjacent shingle 31,
but any water that gets under leading edge 20 and onto the
gutter surface 16 will run out of the open lower edge 18
(FIG. 1), as described above, onto the top surface of the
next lower shingle 36 (FIG. 8).
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Referring again to FIG. 1. The upper folded-over
edge 2 has a leading-side edge 26, which extends all the way
to edge 20 and slides over the upper trailing side edge 28
of the folded over edge 2 of the next shingle to the left
when right edge 20 of that next shingle to the left is
inserted into fold 15. Accordingly, when the next adjacent
shingle to the left has its leading edge 20 inserted into
S fold 15 of shingle 31, the trailing-side edge 28 of fold-
over edge 2 will underlap the leading-side edge 26 of the
fold-over edge 2 of the shingle to the left being inserted.
The lower folded-under edge 12 has a leading-side
edge 30 which can be tapered, or slant cut, from the right
side leading edge 20 to provide for easy insertion of
leading edge 20. The trailing-side edge 32 of the fold-under
lower edge 12 can also be slant cut back from the trailing
side of the S fold 15. Thus, when the leading edge 20 of the
next adjacent left side shingle is inserted into S fold 15,
there will be a gap between folded-under edge 12 of the
shingle 31 with the folded-under edge of the inserted
shingle. This gap allows water flowing down the gutter
surface 16 and caught by the folded-under edge 12 of the
inserted shingle to flow out onto the top surface of the
next lower shingle.
In FIG. 2, a plurality of folds 30 are made in a
large shingle 32 to form a panel giving the appearance of it
being a plurality of smaller subshingles. Shingle panel 32
is preferably cut and folded from some decorative metal such
as copper or metal protected by resin based coating system
(Kynar 500 is a registered trademark of Elf Atochem North
America, Inc.) Kynar 500. Its dimensions are around 31.4
inches wide by 11 inches high. Three folds 30 are made to
form shingle panel 32 into four subshingles 7.4 inches wide
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by 9.75 inches high, dimensions similar to standard cedar
shake or slate roofing. All four S folds 15 and 30 have the
same orientation, so that the four small subshingles have
their left sides slightly higher than their right sides.
This feature is especially apparent in FIG. 3.
FIG. 3 shows a lower edge view of the shingle
panel 32 of FIG. 2 and is also representative of a cross-
section cut along line F. The amount of space between the
folded surfaces is exaggerated for clarity. Folds 14, 15,
and 30 are all approximately one half inch deep. Folds 14,
15, and 30 are made before folds 2 and 12.
FIG. 4 shows a side view of shingle panel 32. Fold
12 and fold 2 are approximately three quarters of an inch
deep.
In a third preferred embodiment, shown in FIGS. 5
and 6, the shingle panel is folded to form many small
subshingles, but every other subshingle is slightly higher
than its neighbor. This effect is accomplished by making
folds 30 in alternating directions within shingle panel 33,
as shown in FIG. 5. In FIG. 6, it can be seen that the
alternating pattern of high and low subshingles will be
carried into the next shingle panel on both sides. Low end
20 is inserted into high fold 15 of the next shingle panel.
FIG. 9 shows two of the shingle panels of FIG. 5 interlocked
as they would be for mounting on a roof.
FIG. 7 shows the shingle panel of FIG. 5 before it
is folded. The dotted lines indicate where folds will occur.
FIG. 7 shows that the cuts 38 made in the top edge 2 of
shingle 33 are smaller than the cuts 39 made in the lower
edge 12. Large cuts 39 leave slight gaps in folded-under
edge 12 to allow water to flow down folds 30, through the
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gaps, and out onto the shingle below. Cuts 38 are smaller,
so that no gap is left in folded-over edge 2. Thus, there is
no gap in the folded-over top edge 2 so that water migrating
up a shingle cannot flow through a gap onto the roof under
the shingles.
FIG. 8 shows eight of the shingles of FIG. 1
interlocked. Shingle 35 is located so that its gutter 16
guides water into the center of the top surface of shingle
36. Also, fold 2 of shingle 36 is inserted into fold 12 of
shingle 35. Shingle 37 is to the right of shingle 35, and
edge 20 of shingle 35 is inserted into fold 15 of shingle
37.
FIG. 9 shows two of the shingle panels of FIGS. 5
and 6 interlocked. Top panel 40 is above, and offset from,
lower panel 41. As seen in FIG. 9, when several panels
according to the present invention are interlocked, it is
impossible to discern whether a fold is the end of a panel
or a fold 30. In the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6,
the heights of the subshingles alternate. Interlocked
shingle panels of the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 2
through 4 would have the left side of each small subshingle
slightly higher than the right side. Thus, their appearance
is exactly the same as interlocked shingles of the preferred
embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIGS. 10 through 14 show a fourth preferred
embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 shows a shingle
54 designed to interlock with shingle 53 of FIG. 10 on
either side, on the top, or on the bottom. Shingle 53 has
two unfolded edges 55 and 56 which can slide into S-folds 60
and 64, respectively, of a shingle 54. Shingle 54 also has
folds 58 and 62 which combine with folds 60 and 64 to form
gutters 59 and 63.
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FIG. 12 shows a lower edge view of shingle 53 and
is also representative of a cross-section taken along line
B. FIG. 14 shows a lower edge view of shingle 54 and is also
representative of a cross-section taken along line C. As is
apparent from these drawings, right edge 55 of shingle 53
can slide into left S-fold 60 of shingle 54, or left edge 56
can slide into right S-fold 64, interlocking the two
shingles. The top surface 4 of shingle 53 is depressed
slightly lower than the top surface 4 of shingle 54 when the
two are interlocked, as described above.
The two shingles 53 and 54 also interlock
vertically. FIG. 11 shows a side view which is accurate for
both shingles 53 and 54. Thus, top fold 2 of shingle 53
slides into bottom fold 12 of both shingles 53 and 54 of the
upper course of shingles. As well, the top fold 2 of shingle
54 slides into bottom fold 12 of both shingle 53 and 54 of
the upper course of shingles.
When several of shingles 53 and 54 are
interlocked, they have the same appearance of varying height
shown in FIG. 9.
FIG. 15 shows a hip and ridge panel 44. Fold 46
folds upward and fold 47 folds under so that fold 46 of one
hip and ridge interlocks with fold 47 of the next hip and
ridge to the right. Hip and ridge panel 44 will be folded
under about one half inch at edges 13 once the desired
vertical length is determined. The fold formed at edges 13
is for appearance only, and does not interlock with any of
the shingles described herein. S-folds 45 form three small
hip and ridge sections in the large panel 44.
FIG. 16 shows a universal endwall 50. Right edge
20 is unfolded to allow insertion into S-fold 15 of another
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endwall. Fold 14, together with fold 15, forms gutter 16.
Endwall 50 will be folded under around one half inch at edge
11 once the desired length is determined. The fold formed at
lower edge 11 will thus interlock with any of the shingles
described herein.
While the invention has been described with
respect to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be
understood by those skilled in the art that various changes
in detail may be therein without departing from the spirit,
scope, and teaching of the invention.
