Abstract:
A hand tool for removing roofing shingles and nails. The toll has a head attached to an elongated handle. The head has a wedge-shaped cross profile. The head is comprised of a plurality of identical, parallel blades, having a relatively flat, pointed leading edge adapted to being inserted underneath the exposed edge of a shingle to be removed. The blade leading edge rises in vertical height to a trailing edge. The trailing edge is connected to a handle. Spacers are attached between the blades to form spacing between blades sufficient to trap any roofing nails holding a shingle to an underlying roof sheath.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to hand tools, and in particular, to a hand tool for simultaneously removing shingles and nails from a roof. 
   Roofs for many contemporary single family and multiple family dwelling structures utilize an outer roof covering consisting of fibrous shingles nailed to a plywood sheathing roof construction. The roofs are covered with a plurality of overlapping, horizontally aligned rows of shingles. The shingles may be made of asphalt or wood and are nailed or stapled to the underlying plywood sheathing. Generally, beginning with the bottom or lower-most edge of the roof, the shingles are nailed in place with successive layers or rows overlapping the top of the preceding below-mounted row. The shingles are generally attached to the roof sheathing by nails or staples. 
   Due to the inherent exposure to the elements, roofing materials have a limited effective life. This means that roofing materials must be replaced periodically during the useful life of the dwelling structure to ensure continued protection from weather. Replacement usually requires that all of the roofing materials be removed and replaced with new roofing materials. Since roofing materials are generally attached to a structure by fastening elements such as nails or staples, removal is difficult, tedious, and dangerous. 
   Various tools have heretofore been provided for removing old shingles preparatory to the installation of new roofing material. Designs heretofore provided either do not provide sufficient mechanical advantage for ease in removal of roofing nails or are not efficient for rapid removal. Nearly all prior art tools require a physical prying motion by the tool user. Typically, shingles are removed from a roof structure by using a chisel or pry bar type tool or spade fork leaving nails behind for a second operation with a claw hammer. The process involves inserting the chisel or pry bar underneath the uppermost shingle and then lifting the exposed end of the chisel or pry bar to push the uppermost shingle away from the underlying shingles. The process is time-consuming and relatively inefficient. Usually several back and forth motions of the chisel or pry bar are required to remove a given shingle from the roof surface. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention, although useful for all types of roofing removal, is especially useful for removing single layer shingles attached to plywood sheathing with nails or staples. The present invention provides a hand tool for removing shingles and roof nails from a roof quickly and with less effort on the part of the user. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tool has a head attached to an elongated handle. The head has a wedge-shaped cross profile, said head being comprised of a plurality of identical, parallel blades, having a relatively flat, pointed leading edge adapted to being inserted underneath the exposed edge of a shingle to be removed, said leading edge rising in height to a trailing edge, said trailing edge being connected to a handle. The spacing between blades is sufficient to trap any roofing nails holding the shingle to the underlying roof sheath. As the tool is pushed forward, the rising height of the head pushes up the shingle and extracts the captured nails. No prying motion by the user is required. 
   These together with other objects of the invention, along with various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto 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 had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a top-front perspective view of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a bottom-rear perspective thereof without a handle; 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom view thereof; 
       FIG. 4  is a top view thereof; 
       FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of a handle attachment piece; 
       FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of a spacer piece; 
       FIG. 7  is a side elevational view of a blade; 
       FIG. 8  is a side elevational view of the head; and 
       FIG. 9  is a partial exploded view of the head. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
   Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like elements are indicated by like numerals, there is shown a roof shingle and nail remover hand tool  1  constructed according to the principles of the present invention. The tool  1  is comprised generally of a head assembly  10  attached to an elongated handle  5 , said head assembly  10  having a wedge-shaped cross-sectional profile. The head  10  has a front, leading edge  11 , a rear, trailing edge  12 , a top  13 , a flat bottom  14 , and two opposite, parallel sides  15 , said front  11  and rear  12  defining a head assembly longitudinal axis. The head assembly  10  is comprised of a number of identical, parallel blades  20  with spacers  30  there between. Two handle attachment pieces  40  replace two of the spacers  30  and are adapted to provide attachment means for the handle  5 . The handle  5  is attached to the head assembly rear  12 . 
   Each blade  20  has a front leading edge  21 , rear trailing edge  22 , top  23 , bottom  24 , and two opposing, parallel sides  25 . The front leading edge  21  and rear trailing edge  22  define a blade longitudinal axis. The blade  20  has a narrow side-to-side width in relation to its front-to-rear length. The blade front leading edge  21  is relatively flat and pointed. The side profile of the blade bottom  24  is flat. The side profile of the blade top  23  has a forward section  27  and a rearward section  28 , said forward section  27  being defined as a section from the blade leading edge  21  to a designated point  26 , said rearward section  28  being defined as a section from the designated point  26  to the blade rear trailing edge  22 . The forward section  27  has a curvilinear rising profile from the flat, pointed leading edge  21  to the designated longitudinal point  26 . The rearward section  28  from the designated point  26  to the rear trailing edge is flat, parallel to the blade bottom  24 . The blade  20  has two round side-to-side holes  29  formed therein near to the blade rear  22 , said holes  29  are preferably positioned one over another and at a vertical angle to each other. 
   As may be most clearly seen in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the blade front leading edge  11  is flat and just thinner than the nail head protrusion in order to engage and seat the nail head on the blade top  23 . This prevents sudden shearing or tipping of the nail head. The blade leading edge  11  also is slightly rounded in all directions to prevent the blade leading edge  11  from digging into the underlying plywood sheathing and to deflect debris away from the gullets formed between blades by the spacers. The shape of the incline of the top  23  of the blade forward section  27  is an arc which allows for a low angle efficient wedge when the nail is at its tightest, but rises rapidly as the nail loosens. Total rise is determined by nail length and is no higher than the nail length to maximize the cleaning action of the shank. The nail is typically fully disengaged from the plywood sheathing at the blade top designated point  26  and is carried away by an attached shingle. As the head assembly  10  continues to move forward, the shape of the forward portion of the spacer  30  combined with the force of the next nail coming through causes any debris or loose nails to be expelled from the head assembly  10 . The blade rear  22  and spacer rear  32  may have channels  37  formed therein to remove weight from the head assembly  10  without sacrificing strength. 
   Each spacer  30  has a front  31 , rear  32 , top  33 , bottom  34 , and two opposing, parallel sides  35 . The spacer  30  has a narrow side-to-side width. Each spacer  30  has two round side-to-side holes  36  formed therein, preferably positioned one over another and at a vertical angle to each other. 
   The head assembly  10  is comprised of a number of aligned blades  20  with spacers  30  in between, so that the blade holes  29  and spacer holes  36  are aligned. The alternate spacer  30 , blade  20  arrangement form open gullets  38  between the blades  20 . Two of the spacers  30  are replaced with handle attachment pieces  40 . Each handle attachment piece  40  has a front section  41  having a profile and thickness identical to that of a spacer  30 , including two vertically angled, side-to-side holes  42 . Each attachment piece  40  has an elongated rear section  43  with two side-to-side holes  44  formed therein along the rear section length. 
   Two bolts  2 , each bolt having a head  3  and an opposite threaded end  4 , are inserted through the holes  29 ,  36 , and  42 . The bolt heads  3  each have a diameter greater than the diameters of the blade holes  29 , spacer holes  36 , and attachment piece holes  42 . A fastener  6  is then threadingly attached to said bolt threaded ends  4  thereby holding the blade and spacer head assembly  10  in place. The bolts  2  with engaged fasteners  6  compress the blades  20  and spacers  30  together providing substantial strength to the head assembly  10 . 
   The head assembly  10  is attached to a handle  5 . The handle  5  is adapted to fit between the attachment piece rear sections  43 . Handle bolts  7  are inserting through the attachment piece rear section holes  44  and through corresponding holes (not shown) formed in the handle  5 . Fasteners (not shown) are attached to the handle bolts  7  thereby securing the handle  5  to the attachment pieces  40 . 
   The object of the invention tool  1  to separate shingles and nails from a roof surface in one continuous forward movement without a second prying motion. The blade  20  size and shape and spacing between blades, permits the head assembly leading edge  11  to by-pass by nail shanks and engage nail heads vertically on the blade tops  23 . The forward motion of the head assembly  10  and the rise of the blade tops  23  forces nails upward and out of the underlying plywood sheathing. The flatness of the head assembly bottom  14  keeps the tool head  10  properly aligned against the underlying plywood sheathing. Combined with the force of incoming nails, the slanted position of the forward portions of the spacers  30  allows the nails and debris to pass out of the head assembly  10  unhindered. The head assembly  10  is therefore self-cleaning. 
   The width of the spacers  30  are a function of the nail sizes to be removed from the roof. The blade fronts  21  are pointed creating funnels which most often allows the gullets  38  to engage nail shanks. Furthermore, the blades  20  are fastened to the head assembly  10  at the blade rears  22  providing less rigidity and some flexibility in the blade leading edges  21 . This further enhances the ability of the head assembly leading edge  11  to engage nail shanks. 
   It is understood that the above-described embodiment is merely illustrative of the application. Other embodiments may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof. In an alternative embodiment, the head assembly  10  could be made or formed from one piece. However, applicant believes the preferred embodiment is the laminated version described above. Spacers and/or blades of different thicknesses may be assembled to accommodate different roofing structures.