Abstract:
A design pre-cut shingle design kit to allow a craftsman, as well as a homeowner, to install a custom designed shingle to their home and a method of installing a design pre-cut shingle without the help of a skilled craftsman or carpenter. A precision ramping apparatus, system and accompanying methods allow the user to place an image on a wall.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of and takes priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/984,951 filed on Apr. 28, 2014, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to installing shingles to the exterior of a building. Embodiments of the invention are particularly applicable to situations where an individual wants to improve the exterior of their home with custom shingle designs. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Any references to methods, apparatus or documents of the prior art are not to be taken as constituting any evidence or admission that they formed, or form part of the common general knowledge. 
         [0006]    The use of wooden shingles on the exterior homes is nothing original. Wooden shingles have been used on buildings for centuries, and have not evolved much from their original state. Wooden shingles serve both practical and simple aesthetics purposes. 
         [0007]    Homeowners often seek to improve the aesthetic look of their home and often turn to specially designed shingles to achieve their desired look. The prior art illustrates numerous custom shingle designs that were designed and must be installed by skilled craftsmen. The limitations of these designs are clear. The need for custom installation by skilled craftsmen limits a homeowner&#39;s choice and can be both time consuming and expensive to install. 
         [0008]    The instant invention eliminates these limitations by creating easy to use and install custom shingle design kits, which allow for installation by the average person. The kits come ready to assemble with the materials and instructions necessary to complete the instillation. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    The present invention provides a pre-cut design shingle installation kit that can be used to improve the aesthetics of a home. The present system allows for installation of a pre-cut design shingle by a homeowner without the involvement of a professional carpenter. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment, the invention features a pre-cut design set of row A shingle, serving as the bottom portion of the overall custom design. A pre-cut design set of row B shingle, serving as the upper portion of the overall custom design. A ramping apparatus, system and accompanying method of creation, in one embodiment a specialized all shingle ramping system, may be utilized to accommodate the difference in levels of the row B shingles and the existing shingles on either side of the custom design. The proprietary ramping system and method can be employed in multiple directions and layer thicknesses to achieve the desired shingle design or designs. Multiple rows can be constructed utilizing this method and the system is certainly not limited to merely two (2) rows. 
         [0011]    The row B shingles are installed on top of the row A shingles creating this difference in levels between the row 
         [0012]    B shingles and the existing shingles. The ramps are used to make a transition from the level of the existing shingles to the row B shingle level. A number of full shingles to fill any gaps left between the custom design and the existing shingles. The full shingles will be selected to match the home&#39;s existing shingles. 
         [0013]    Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The row A shingles may contain more than one shingle to allow for larger designs. The row B shingles may contain more than one shingle to allow for larger designs. 
         [0014]    In general, in another aspect, the invention features a method for installation of a pre-cut design shingle installation kit. Shingles are removed from a row of shingles creating a gap to accommodate the pre-cut custom design. A straight line is now drawn across the new gap connecting the bottoms of the existing shingles in that row. The row A shingle is installed in space where the row of shingles was removed. The ramps are installed on the left and right of the custom design. The row B shingle is installed on top of the row A shingle, creating the upper part of the design. The full shingles are installed to fill gap between existing shingles and the custom design. 
         [0015]    Thus, the instant can be installed on a new construction or retrofitted to an existing sidewall application. The system also affords the user the ability to intermix shingle design kits with clapboard application using the methods illustrated herein, specially ramping. 
         [0016]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the pre-cut shingle kit and method of use in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
         [0017]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0018]    These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty, which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects are described herein and these aspects are indicative of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be practiced and all aspects and equivalents thereof are intended to be within the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]    Advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0020]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit illustrating an exemplary star fish configuration. 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  illustrates a front perspective view of one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the row of shingles is removed and the dotted line illustrates the line drawn connecting the bottoms of the existing shingles in the row. 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  illustrates front perspective view of one embodiment of the instant invention, wherein the row A shingle and ramping systems are installed. 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  illustrates front perspective view of one embodiment of the instant invention, wherein the row B shingle is installed on top of the row A shingle and the ramps. 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  illustrates front perspective view of one embodiment of the instant invention, wherein the full shingles are installed on the right and left side of the pre-cut custom design shingle star fish. 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit star fish is fully installed on a structure. 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit with a seagull design is fully installed on a structure. 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit with a flower design is fully installed on a structure. 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit with a sailfish design is fully installed on a structure. 
           [0029]      FIG. 10  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit with a scallop shell design is fully installed on a structure. 
           [0030]      FIG. 11  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit with a pineapple design is fully installed on a structure. 
           [0031]      FIG. 12  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit with a turtle design is fully installed on a structure. 
           [0032]      FIG. 13  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit with a spade cross design is fully installed on a structure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0033]    Referring now to the Figures,  FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit  1  employs a star fish shape, and is in the fully installed position. 
         [0034]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the shingles are removed from the desired row of shingles in which the pre-cut custom shingles design kit will be installed. After the shingles are removed a line  6  will be drawn from the remaining left side shingle  2  across the gap to the right side shingle  4 . This line  6  will assist in the installation of the pre-cut custom design shingles. 
         [0035]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the row A shingle  10  is installed in the gap created from removing the existing shingles. The ramps  8  are installed even with the bottom edge of the row a shingle  10 . 
         [0036]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the row B shingles  12  are installed on top of the row A shingle  10  and ramps  8 . The row B shingles  12  create the upper portion of the intended design. 
         [0037]    Referring now to  FIG. 5  the full shingles  14  are installed on both sides of the course B  12  shingles filling the remaining space in the gap between the remaining left side shingle  2  and the remaining right side shingle  4 . The completed and installed design is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0038]    This is one embodiment of the invention in which the design is a starfish. 
         [0039]    Additionally,  FIG. 6  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit star fish  18  is fully installed on a structure. 
         [0040]    In further embodiments,  FIG. 7  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit with a seagull design  20  is fully installed on a structure. 
         [0041]    Also,  FIG. 8  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit with a flower design  30  is fully installed on a structure. 
         [0042]    Additionally,  FIG. 9  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit with a sailfish design  40  is fully installed on a structure and  FIG. 10  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit with a scallop shell design  50  is fully installed on a structure. 
         [0043]    Moreover,  FIG. 11  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit with a pineapple design  60  is fully installed on a structure and  FIG. 12  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit with a turtle design  70  is fully installed on a structure. 
         [0044]    Finally,  FIG. 13  illustrates one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the pre-cut custom design shingle kit with a spade cross design  80  is fully installed on a structure. 
         [0045]    Regarding the instant systems in all embodiments, accompanying and intertwined methods for usage, delivery and application of the specific systems disclosed herein have been developed. These methods are applicable to both new constructions and retrofits. Among these, a method of manufacturing and installing the artistic enhancement system for home shingles may include, in the preparation phase, the steps of pre-cutting a first decorative row A of shingles, serving as the bottom portion of the overall custom design, pre-cutting a second decorative row (B) of shingles, serving as the upper portion of the overall custom design, precutting at least one ramp member that will be used to accommodate the difference in levels of the row B shingles and the existing shingles on either side of the custom design and precutting at least one full shingle to fill gaps wherein the at least one full shingle is selected to match the existing shingles. 
         [0046]    In the delivery and application phase, the steps may comprise designating an area for shingle replacement, marking the area for shingle replacement, removing a plurality of existing shingles within the area for shingle replacement, installing the first decorative row of shingles, installing the second decorative row of shingles, installing the at least one ramp member, identifying a set of gap areas and installing the one or more full shingles to fill the set of gap areas. 
         [0047]    Additional methods for installing a pre-cut design or decorative shingle kit are introduced, including the steps of removing a plurality of existing shingles, installing a plurality of row a pre-cut decorative shingles, installing a plurality of ramps, installing a plurality of row b pre-cut decorative shingles and installing a plurality of full shingles to fill gaps.