Abstract:
Disclosed is a shingle configuration and method of deploying shingles both of which provide improved durability and element resistance. With respect to how the shingles are configured, they are made shorter, thicker, less wide, and have a less dramatic taper than do conventional shingles. Additionally, these shingles are pressure treated with a chemical that provides a barrier making them resistant to wood rot and other elemental maladies. The shingles are then applied to the roof in such a manner that the exposed surface of each individual shingle will be reduced.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/525,973. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     None.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0004]     This invention relates to the field of roof shingle designs and methods of applying shingles. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved configuration for a cedar shake shingle, a chemical treatment of this shingle, and the installation of a plurality of such shingles.  
         [0005]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0006]     Cedar shake shingles have been used for roofing houses for a long time. Shakes are a favorite choice among many homeowners, more for ornamental reasons than for practical ones. Practically speaking, shake shingles have many disadvantages.  
         [0007]     One of these disadvantages is in terms of wind resistance. The conventional cedar shake roof will have a difficult time withstanding excessive winds. A typical prior art shingle which would be used on a conventional shake roof is shown in prior art  FIGS. 1 and 2 . As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the prior art shake  10  is relatively thin. It has an upper surface  12 , an exposed portion  14 , a covered portion  16 , a termination and  18 , a butt-end  20 , an underside  22  and side surfaces  24 . The shingle is secured to the conventional roof using 2 fasteners  28 , which may be staples or nails. The conventional nails or staples used for such a purpose are typically constructed of electro or hot-dipped galvanized steel.  
         [0008]     As will be known to one skilled in the art, shingles are laid in rows, one row over the other, this results in the exposed  14  and covered  16  portions. Portion  16  will be covered by the next row of shingles up the roof, whereas portion  14  is exposed to the elements. The exposed  14  and covered  16  portions are divided by a transition line  26  which is formed by the butt-end  20  of the shingle immediately above it.  
         [0009]     The dimensions of the conventional shingle are typically as follows. They typically have a length of 24″, and a butt-end thickness of {fraction (1/2)}″. As maybe seen in  FIG. 1 , the shingle is tapered towards a termination end  18  which is typically around {fraction (1/8)}″ thick. These dimensions make the ratio of butt-end thickness (about {fraction (1/2)}″), versus termination end thickness (about {fraction (1/8)}″) about 4-1. The distance of the transition line from termination end  18  is typically 10″. Because of the thinness of shingle  10  and its fastener positioning, it is made somewhat vulnerable to excessive winds.  
         [0010]     A second disadvantage in a shake roof is in hail resistance. Impact testing of such roofs reveal that even moderate sized hail can create significant damage to the roof&#39;s shakes. Similarly, walking on the roof is often avoided because even careful stepping on the roof may resulting damage to the shakes. One of the reasons for this vulnerability of the conventional shake is that its exposure area is very great relative to its overall thickness. It is spread out too thin, in other words.  
         [0011]     A third disadvantage present in the prior art shake roof is that its shakes tend, over time, to prematurely curl upwards away from the roof. This makes the overall appearance of the roof somewhat unsightly.  
         [0012]     A fourth disadvantage in the conventional shake roof is that it may degrade. This degradation may take the form of dry rot, algae, insect problems, or combinations thereof. These forms of degradation are the result of exposure to the elements, such as rain. The exposed surfaces of the shingles are typically the most affected. This is because they are bare and thus, not barred off from environmental factors.  
         [0013]     Because of these four disadvantages, there is a need in the art for a shake, and method of applying that shake, which (i) results in wind and impact resistance, (ii) has better insulation properties, and (iii) forms a barrier between the cedar and the environment to prevent dry rot, algae and insect problems.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     The present invention overcomes these disadvantages in the conventional shake roof by providing a shingle that is thicker with a less dramatic taper, thinner, has a minimized exposure area relative to thickness, and is chemically treated to form a barrier between the cedar and the environment. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]     The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a side view of the conventional cedar shake used in the prior art methods.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the prior art shake.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the wood shake of the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the wood shake of the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a drawing showing, from a side view, the way in which the shingles of the present invention may be disposed on a roof.  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  shows, from a perspective view, how the shingles in the present invention are laid on the roof. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]     The shingle design of the present invention are shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . The manner in which these shingles are laid on a roof are shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 .  
         [0023]     Referring first to  FIG. 3 , the shingle of the present invention  30  has an upper surface  32 . Upper surface  32  is divided into two portions. The first of these is an exposed portion  34  which will be exposed to the elements. When shingle  30  is nailed on the roof as part of a first row of shingles, a second row of shingles will be laid above it (as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ). The part of upper surface  32  that is not covered by the shingles of the second row creates exposed portion  34 . Accordingly, covered portion  36  is the portion of upper surface  32  which is covered by the shingle in the row immediately above it. These two portions  34  and  36  are divided by a transition line  36 . Referring to  FIG. 6 , transition line  36  exists where the butt-end  60  of the shingle in the row above ends, thus exposing portion  34  of shingle  30 .  
         [0024]     Shingle  30  is configured as follows. From butt-end  40  it may be seen in  FIG. 3  that the shingle is tapered until it reaches a termination and  38 . The preferred shingle thickness at butt-end  40  is about {fraction (7/8)}″, however, the thickness could fall any where within the {fraction (1/2)}″ to 1″ range—and might even be thicker—and still fall within the parameters of the present invention. The preferred thickness at termination end  38  is approximately {fraction (1/4)}″. These preferred dimensions make the ratio of butt-end thickness ({fraction (7/8)}″), versus termination end thickness, ({fraction (1/4)}″), about 7-2. Comparing this ratio to that of the conventional shingle shown in  FIG. 1 , which was 4-1, reveals that the shingle of the present invention has a taper that is less extreme, ensuring more longitudinally consistent durability.  
         [0025]     Another difference present in shingle  30  from that of shingle  10  is in its overall length. It will be recalled the length of conventional shingle  10  is about 24″. The approximately 18″ shingle of the present invention  30  is significantly shorter.  
         [0026]     These differences in taper and thicknesses may be easily observed by comparing the profile of conventional shake&#39;s side-surface  24  in  FIG. 1  with the side surface  44  of the shake of the present invention shown in  FIG. 3 . The  FIG. 3  profile formed by underside  42 , butt-end  40 , upper surface  32 , and tapered end  38 , is much different that that defined by underside  22 , butt-end  20 , upper surface  12  and tapered end  18  of the conventional shake.  
         [0027]     The method of fastening shake  30  to the roof is done using fasteners  48 . Fasteners  48  may be electro-galvanized staples or nails. Alternatively, they could be constructed of stainless steel to make them more weather resistant. The fasteners  48  are driven through shake  30  at points approximately one inch up from the transition line  46  and approximately one inch in from the sides  44  of the shake on both sides.  
         [0028]     It will now be described the manner in which the shingle is to be chemically treated. The chemical used in applicant&#39;s process if known as chromated-copper-arsenate (CCA). CCA is widely used to preserve wooden things. It has most often conventionally been used to preserve wooden articles that are produced from soft woods. Some examples of soft woods might be lodge pole white, jack and red pines. Because pine tends to rot, the CCA is applied in these conventional methods to provide a barrier between the environment and the wood. It has typically been applied to the article on which it is being deposited under pressure. This is so that it penetrates well below the surface of the wood. The chromium component in the CCA bonds with the cellulose in the wood and undergoes a valence change from the hexavalent to the trivalent state. Once this change in states has occurred, the CCA, over a relatively short period of time, under pressure, will not leach out of the wood over the course of time.  
         [0029]     The methods of the present invention involve using this CCA method which has already been well-established in the art in terms of being used on pines, to treat cedar for use on shake roofs. Though a different recipient (cedar) is used for the CCA, the process for administering the CCA is the same. It is administered to the shakes, and allowed to impregnate the wood (under pressure) over time. These methods of administering the CCA will be known to those skilled in the art. The only significant difference from that which is conventional is that the CCA is being used to treat shakes instead of the types of wood, and types of products described as conventional above.  
         [0030]     Once the cedar shingles for use in the present invention methods have been appropriately CCA treated, they will be ready for installation on a roof.  
         [0031]      FIG. 5  shows how the shingles are installed from a side view. In the figure, it may be seen that in upper shingle  50 , is disposed on top of shingle  30 . Also seeing in this figure is that the butt-end  60  of shingle  50  is what defines the transition line between exposed surface  34  and covered surface  36  on shingle  30 . In  FIG. 4 , it may also be seen that transition line  46  along with the edges of the shingle define an exposed surface ( 34 ) which is much smaller than the exposed surface  14  of the conventional shake.  
         [0032]     This different in exposure area is significant when coupled with the concept that shake  30  is significantly thicker and less tapered than is conventional. This aspect of the present invention provides numerous advantages. For one, the shingle will be held more tightly to the roof. This is because the shingle in the row immediately above it  50  is thicker, and thus more steady, and has more weight. This helps secure shingle  30  (referring to  FIG. 5 ) better because the bottom of shingle  50  is pressing down harder. This greatly improves the wind resistance and other durability aspects of the shingle  30 . The wind resistance will also be improved by the aerodynamics of shingle  30 . When conventional shingles become slightly loosed, as will occur over time, they are more easily blown off because of their thinness. There is also more potential lift area that makes the shingle vulnerable to wind that might enter under and lift up on the shingle.  
         [0033]     Another advantage created by minimizing the exposure area  34  of the shingle versus the shingles thickness is that there is less surface per shingle that is exposed to the elements. This will minimize environmental degradation.  
         [0034]     Also advantageous in shingle  30  over conventional shingle  10 , which is thinner, wider, and longer, is that the shingle of the present invention is more durable to hail and to workers stepping on it. Like a pencil is more easily broken than a baseball bat, so is prior art shingle  10  more easily broken than present invention shingle  30 . Because of the more uniform thickness of shingle  30  along its length. These factors in combination with the more gradual taper of shingle  30 , make it much more durable than the conventional shingle.  
         [0035]     A further advantage in the shingle of the present invention is due to the application of CCA. The application of this CCA in combination with the durability improvements caused by the present invention shingles configurations make it even more durable and weather resistant. This is because of the barrier the chemical creates. The combination of all these factors in combination provide a shingled roof which is capable of withstanding winds exceeding 130 mph. Additionally, it may be walked on without the fear of causing significant damage to the shingles. Users will also be added the benefit of improved insulation. The shingles will keep the home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. A roof constructed of the methods of the present invention will also be able to withstand extreme temperatures and freeze-thaw conditions found in various climates. Insect, dry rot and algae problems will also be greatly reduced.  
         [0036]     Although the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment illustrated in the attached drawing figures, it is noted that substitutions may be made and equivalents employed herein without departing from the scope of the invention as recited in the claims.