Roofing remover

A wedge head is provided having upper and lower surfaces and front and rear ends. The upper and lower surfaces are forwardly convergent toward a forward transverse apex edge of the head and an elongated handle is provided including base and free end portions. The handle base end portion is anchored relative to the head with the handle free end portion projecting rearwardly from the rear end of the head. A weight body is slidably mounted on the free handle end portion for guided reciprocation between front and rear limit positions on the handle and the wedge head includes front-to-rear extending opposite side surfaces which are rearwardly convergent. The side surfaces are also upwardly convergent and the forward transverse apex edge includes structure defining transversely spaced forwardly projecting teeth.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Various tools heretofore have been provided for removing old shingles from 
a roof preparatory to the installation of new replacement shingles. Some 
shingle removing tools include generally planar work-engaging heads 
carried by elongated handles which may be manually manipulated to drive 
the planar heads beneath shingles for the purpose of severing the nails 
which secure the shingles to the roof. In addition, the handles are 
supported from the planar heads at an angle whereby the handles may be 
used as a lever in order to pry shingles from a roof. However, many 
roofing removing tools of this type are less efficient than desired for 
various reasons. Accordingly, inasmuch as roofing shingle removal is a 
difficult, tiring and dangerous task, a need exists for a roofing removing 
tool which will enable a roofer to remove roofing shingles in a more 
efficient, less tiring and safer manner. 
Examples of roofing removers including some of the general structural and 
operational features of the instant invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. 
Nos. 776,191, 1,218,145, 2,195,667, 2,482,805, 2,680,003, 3,568,657, 
3,712,389, 3,696,873 and 4,241,795. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The roofing remover of the instant invention includes a wedge-shaped head 
defining rearwardly convergent upper and lower surfaces and including 
opposite side surfaces which are rearwardly convergent. The head is 
supported from one end of an elongated handle projecting rearwardly from 
the rear of the head and disposed at an approximately 35.degree. rearward 
and upward inclination relative to the under or lower surface of the head. 
A slide hammer sleeve is slidably mounted on the handle between abutments 
carried thereon for limiting forward and rearward movement of the slide 
hammer sleeve relative to the handle and the forward apex edge portion of 
the head is provided with forwardly projecting blunt teeth spaced 
transversely therealong. 
The main object of this invention is to provide a roofing removing tool 
which will be capable of removing roofing shingles in an efficient and 
safe manner. 
Another object of this invention is to provide a roofing removing tool of 
the wedge type and including an elongated handle equipped with a slide 
hammer whereby accurate placement of the head of the tool may be 
accomplished independent of slide hammer operation thereof. 
Still another important object of this invention is to provide a roofing 
remover which may be readily wedged beneath roofing shingles and utilized 
to pry roofing shingles from a roof. 
A further object of this invention is to provide a roofing remover 
including a forward edge designed for pulling and shearing roofing nails 
but constructed in a manner whereby gouging of uneven roof boads will be 
maintained at a minimum. 
A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to 
provide a roofing remover in accordance with the preceding objects and 
which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple 
construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be 
economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in 
operation. 
These together with other objects and advantages which will become 
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation 
as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to 
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals 
refer to like parts throughout.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The roofing remover of the instant invention is referred to in general by 
the reference numeral 10 and includes a head 12 and a handle 14. The head 
12 includes front and rear ends 16 and 18, top and bottom surfaces 20 and 
22 and opposite side front-to-rear extending surfaces 24. The surfaces 20 
and 22 are forwardly convergent and are defined by top and bottom walls 26 
and 28. The forward marginal edges of the top and bottom walls 26 and 28 
are secured together by welding 30, see FIG. 8, and the forward marginal 
edge of the head 12 defines a forwardly and upwardly opening relieved area 
32 in which the rear marginal edge 34 of a removable apex edge member 36 
is secured through the utilization of removable threaded fasteners 38. The 
apex edge member 36 includes blunt forwardly projecting teeth 40 spaced 
therealong for pulling or shearing the upper ends of roofing nails. The 
teeth 40 are blunt in order to minimize gouging of uneven roofing boards. 
The top and bottom walls 26 and 28 are rearwardly divergent and the 
opposite side surfaces 24 are defined by opposite side walls 42 extending 
between corresponding side marginal edges of the top and bottom walls 26 
and 28. The side walls 42 are upwardly convergent as may best be seen from 
FIG. 4 of the drawings and the longitudinal mid-portions of the top and 
bottom walls 26 and 28 are stiffened relative to each other through the 
utilization of a pair of forwardly tapering stiffening plates 44 spaced 
apart transversely of the head 12 and secured to the top and bottom walls 
28 in any convenient manner such as by welding. 
The handle 14 includes a free end portion 46 and a base end portion 48. The 
base end portion 48 is secured within a tubular neck 50 defined by one end 
portion of a tubular fitting 52 having its other end portion 54 secured 
between the plates 44 and the top and bottom walls 26 and 28. The tubular 
fitting 52 actually comprises a reinforcing extension of the base and 
portion 48 of the handle 14 and it may be appreciated from FIG. 3 of the 
drawings that the rear marginal edge of the bottom wall 28 defines a 
fulcrum edge about which the tool 10 may be pivoted when the handle 14 has 
its free end portion 46 swung downwardly while the bottom surface 22 of 
the head 12 rests upon a horizontal surface. 
The base end portion 48 includes a radially outwardly projecting abutment 
collar 56 thereon abuttingly engaged with the free end of the tubular neck 
50 and the free end portion 46 of the handle 14 includes a removable 
abutment collar 58 thereon held in position by a setscrew 60. The end 
portion of the handle 14 which projects rearwardly beyond the abutment 
collar 58 has a tubular handgrip 62 mounted thereon. 
A slide hammer sleeve 64 is slidably mounted on the handle 14 intermediate 
the collar 56 and the collar 58 and the sleeve 64 includes a bail-type 
handle 66. The sleeve 64 is further rotatable on the handle 14 whereby the 
tool 10 may be held in one hand and the sleeve handle 60 may be engaged by 
the other hand of a workman, independent of whether that workman is right 
or left handed. 
As an accessory for the tool 10, a longitudinally split resilient sleeve 66 
is provided, see FIGS. 6 and 7, and it may be laterally positioned about 
the handle 14 between the collar 56 and the sleeve 64 when the remote end 
of the sleeve 64 is abutted against the collar 58. In this manner, the 
split resilient sleeve 66 serves to prevent sliding movement of the hammer 
sleeve 64 on the handle 14. 
In operation, the roofing remover 10 may be used in the manner illustrated 
in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The handle 14 is manipulated by a roofer to 
position the apex edge member 36 beneath the shingles to be removed. Then, 
the handle 66 and the slide sleeve 64 may be engaged and reciprocation of 
the sleeve 64 and its impacting against the collar 56 will be effected to 
drive the apex edge member 36 beneath the shingles to be removed. The 
nails retaining the shingles to be removed will be sheared by the apex 
edge member and the 35.degree. angulation of the handle 14 relative to the 
bottom wall 28 enables the tool 10 to be used as a lever to pry the 
shingles from the roof upon which the tool 10 is being used. 
The rearward tapering of the transverse width of the head 12 is important 
in that rearward displacement of the tool head 12 from beneath shingles 
being removed may be effected with ease and without the rear portions of 
the head catching on shingles which have not been loosened. Also, the 
rearward converging side walls 42 as well as their upward convergence 
enables the handle 14 to be more readily shifted to one side or the other 
when the head 12 is engaged beneath shingles to be removed in order to 
facilitate more ready pulling or shearing of shingle-retaining nails. 
Still further, although the apex edge member 30 has been illustrated and 
described as removable, it is to be understood that the apex edge member 
may comprise a continuation of the forward marginal edge of the top wall 
26 and be permanently attached to the bottom wall 28. 
When it is desired to drive the head 12 beneath shingles which are nailed 
down in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the hammer 
sleeve 64 is slid back and forth and impacted with the collar 56. Thus, 
the apex edge member 36 may wedge beneath the shingles to be removed and 
pull or shear the nails securing the shingles to the roofing. Further, the 
manually actuatable slide hammer sleeve may be replaced by an 
electrically, air, or fluid pressure operated hammer, if desired. 
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the 
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily 
occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the 
invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and 
accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted 
to, falling within the scope of the invention.