Abstract:
Roofing apparatus comprises: 
     (a) a longitudinally elongated blade having a laterally presented sharp edge section adapted to initially penetrate between two stacked shingles, and a laterally presented thickened edge section adapted to spread the two shingles as the blade further penetrates laterally therebetween, 
     (b) and structure to separate one of the two relatively spread shingles from the other by movement of the one shingle in a direction generally parallel to the other. 
     Other mechanism allows feeding of the shingles, successively, off the apparatus and onto a roof.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to application of roofing shingles, and more particularly to apparatus movable along a roof and operable to sequentially and automatically dispense shingles from a stack into laid positions on the roof, and also to fasten them to the roof. 
     Shingling of roofs is commonly done by roofers who walk upon the roof and hand carry the shingles into position for laying; they then position the shingles by hand, and fasten or nail them to the roof, by hand. These operations are time consuming and very expensive so that the cost of re-roofing homes is commonly prohibitive. There is need for automated roofing techniques and apparatus that will substantially reduce such costs, and greatly speed up the time required to shingle a roof. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a major object of the invention to provide apparatus and methods to meet the above needs. 
     Basically, the apparatus of the invention comprises: 
     (a) a longitudinally elongated blade having a laterally presented sharp edge section adapted to initially penetrate between two stacked shingles, and a laterally presented thickened edge section adapted to spread the two shingles as the blade further penetrates laterally therebetween, 
     (b) and means to separate one of the two relatively spread shingles from the other by movement of the one shingle in a direction generally parallel to the other. 
     The blade to accomplish such inter-shingle penetration and spreading typically incorporatesmeans for heating the blade so as to enable transfer of heat from the blade to the shingles to ease penetration and spreading, as when the stacked shingles are cold. Also, shingle spreading is facilitated by making the thickened section of the blade forwardly convex, as will appear. 
     The means to separate the shingles one from another may typically include a pusher to push said one shingle in said direction after the blade has initially penetrated between the two shingles, and a carriage carrying said pusher and said blade, the pusher supported for cyclic movement on a carriage, and laterally relative to the longitudinal direction of carriage movement on the roof. Thus, the pusher and blade may be interconnected so that when the pusher is moved in one lateral direction, the blade moves in the opposite lateral direction, whereby the blade retracts relative to the shingles as the pusher pushes said one shingle laterally to discharge off one side of the carriage. 
     The carriage typically includes means such as a roller supporting the frame for transport longitudinally along a roof. The roller may have an elastomeric surface to frictionally grip the sloping roof; and a shingle stapler is carried by the frame in a position to staple to the roof said one shingle after it has been pushed by the pusher in said direction to free the one shingle from the frame. 
    
    
     These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which: 
     DRAWING DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a roof, with roofing apparatus of the invention moving thereon, to lay shingles; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the roofing apparatus; 
     FIG. 3 is another view of the FIG. 2 device with some parts removed to show operation of other parts; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus, looking in the direction 4--4 of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a blade component of the FIG. 2 apparatus; 
     FIGS. 6, 7, 7a and 8a-8d are schematic views of blade operation to separate and spread shingles in a stack; and 
     FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a shingle pusher, and associated mechanism; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing pusher means movable laterally to push shingles along support bars; and 
     FIGS. 11 and 12a-12e are further schematic views. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In FIG. 1, the roofing apparatus is shown at 10 movable along a roof 11, in longitudinal direction 12. It discharges rectangular shingles 13 laterally to the roof, in positions to be attached to the roof. As will later appear, the apparatus may also attach the shingles to the roof, as by stapling. Shingles are also referred to as tiles, herein. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, the apparatus 10 is shown to include a carriage frame including two laterally spaced U-shaped members 14 extending in upright, longitudinal planes. Each member includes a lower horizontal rod or bar 15 and bars 16 extending upright from opposite ends of bars 15. Handles 17 are provided at the upper ends of bars 16. Multiple plates 18 are carried by the lower bars and extend laterally in upright parallel planes so that the top edges 18a of the plates define a slide plane along which shingels are slidable, laterally, one after another. A roller 20 is supported at the underside of the frame to extend laterally as shown. Axles 21 at opposite ends of the roller may be supported by bars 15. The roller may have an elastomeric surface to frictionally engage the roof and prevent lateral sliding of the apparatus, as it is moved longitudinally. 
     Extending between one pair of upright bars 16 in a rod 23 that carries a longitudinally extending stop plate 24. The latter has depending tongues 25 that slidably interfit laterally extending grooves 26 sunk in the top surface of a longitudinally elongated blade 27 that is supported for lateral movement. See for example blade supports 28 that extends downwardly at its opposite ends. Guide rollers 29 on the support 28 engage a laterally extending rail 30 that is in turn carried by the frame. Thus the blade is movable laterally back and forth. The blade has a laterally presented sharp edge section 27a adapted to initially penetrate between two stacked tiles 31a, and 31b, as shown in FIG. 6, as the blade moves leftwardly. 
     The blade also has a laterally presented thickened edge section 27b adapted to spread the two shingles as the blade further penetrate laterally between them. Section 27b is advantageously forwardly convex, as appears in FIG. 5, and the convexity i.e. sharpness of curvature gradually increases in a direction toward section 27a until it becomes sharp edged, at section 27a. Convex section 27b tends to lift the upper stack 31 of tiles away from the lowermost tile 31a enabling the latter to progressively separate and drop down onto bar or plate edges 18a, i.e. in position to be displaced laterally, and off the apparatus. Edge 27a may also be tapered, as shown in FIG. 6. 
     A tile stack support plate is shown at 35, to slidably support the stack as the plate moves horizontally laterally under lowest tile 31a, during blade advancement laterally. See FIG. 6. Thus, a tile discharge slot 36 formed between the forward edge 27 of the blade and the rearward door 35a on plate 35, moves laterally to progressively pass or discharge the tile 31a downwardly, per FIG. 8 (a). During such movement, the stack of tiles is retained against a fixed upright plate 37 carried by a rod 38 connected between upright bars 16, as shown. Fixed plate 37 has lower depending tongues 37a that interfit grooves 40 in the upper surface of movable plate 35, whereby tiles cannot wedge between plates 35 and 37; and the same non-wedging relationship exists as between fixed plate 24 and movable blade 27. The plate 35 is mounted on supports 44 that extend downwardly to carry guide rollers 45. The latter also engage the rail 30, so that the plate is movable back and forth, laterally. 
     After a tile 31a has dropped onto lateral edges 18a, (see FIG. 8(b) it is displaced laterally by a pusher or pushers 38. See also FIGS. 7 and 10. The pushers are mounted on a longitudinal support 39, to project upwardly between plates or bars 18, and to engage the edge 31a&#39; of the tile 31a dropped down onto the edges 18a. The pusher or pushers move in synchronism with blade movement, laterally, so that the pusher is in position to displace the tile laterally once it has completely freed itself from the stack, and dropped onto the edge 18a. To this end, the opposite ends of the pusher support 39 carry slide blocks 40 slidable. along guide rods 41 that extend laterally between the frames as seen in FIGS. 2 and 10. 
     The pusher 38 and blade are interconnected so that when the pusher is moved in one lateral direction, the blade moves in the opposite lateral direction, whereby the blade retracts relative to the shingles as the pusher pushes the dropped (one) shingle laterally to discharge off the side of the carriage. For this purpose, a cable or line 50 turned about two pulleys 51 and 52 is connected to the blade, pusher and plate 35 as shown at 53, 54 and 55. Pulleys 51 and 52 are suitably carried by the fixed frame. Thus, as the blade and plate 35 travel to the left in FIGS. 2, 8(a) and 8(b), the pusher moves to the right, into position to engage the rightward edge of the dropped tile, as seen in FIG. 8(b); and as the blade retracts to the right in FIGS. 8(c) and 8(d), along with carriage movement to the right, the pusher moves or displaces the dropped tile to the left, to discharge off the carriage. FIG. 8(d) shows completed discharge. 
     A drive for these components is seen to include motor 56, shaft 57, gears 58 and 59, and gears 60 and 61, the drive actually moving the plate 35 which in turn moves the cable system. The plate 35 and blade 27 may be directly connected by structure or link 68, seen in FIG. 2. Trigger switches 70 are located on the handles to start and stop the motor. 
     The system may also be used to displace tiles off the opposite side of the carriage or frame; and to this end the pushers 38 are inverted 180° to hand downwardly, as the pusher is moved leftwardly under a dropped tile, so as the become inactive. To this end, pusher rod 39 is rotatable 180° in the guide blocks 40 at its opposite ends. Note that the guide and transport structure shown at the end of th carriage nearest the viewer in FIG. 2 is duplicated at the opposite end of the carriage, furthest from the viewer. 
     A projection or projections 110, pivotally attched to the door 35a, are now swing downwardly as in FIGS. 11 and 12. The blade movement sequence in FIGS. 12(a)-12(e) is the same as in FIGS. 7 and 8(a) to 8(d); however, the projection 110 now becomes the effective pusher. Note that it moves in synchronism with the blade, and in the same direction therewith, to push the dropped tile rightwardly off the edges 18a, as in FIGS. 12(d) and 12(e). FIG. 11 shows a cam plate to raise and lower the door 35a. 
     Finally, shingle staplers 75 are carried by the frame in a position to staple the displaced shingle to the roof after it is freed from the apparatus. When lowered from raised position seen in FIG. 2, as by rotation of stapler mounting rods 76, the staplers are positioned just above the discharged shingles, to staple them to the roof. Rods 76 are rotatably end connected at 77 to the uprights 16. 
     Heated balde 27 is well suited to separating tiles or shingles that are stuck together. Blade 27 may be electrically heated, as by internal wires 85.