The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1921-12-15

An invention which promises tc
revolutionize the building industry
has been perfected and put into oper-
alton at the Washoe smelter. One
little machine, 80 by 80 by "a inches,
the demonstration model, now in OPP
Grafton at the smelter, is capable OF
producing copper or zinc shingles at
the rate of 1000 an hour, while
other processes evolved in the expert
mental laboratory at the smelter will
give the product of the machine a
permanent color ranging from light
green to a dark brown. Practically
i~ndestructible, the single is a radi-
cal departure from anything now on
the market, and according to archi-
tects and builders who have examin-
ed it will fill a long felt want in con-
struction projects.
Describing the Objectionable feat
ures of manufactured shingles and
incorporating the best features. of
wooden ones, the department heads
of the research department of the
smelter, in the short space of 80 days
have invented and built machinery,
perfected coloring processes, and
started the manufacture of shingles
on a small scale.
Idea of Mr.. Laist
The idea for the single had it's in
ception in the brain of Frederick
Laist, manager of the smelter; the
machinery for the manufacture of
the single was invented and per-
fected by L. E.. Jones, head of the
electrical department; the coloring
process was evolved in the expert
mental laboratory from the fund of
information accumulated over a Pc
riod of years, and the first machine
was built and put into operation by
AL Campbell, chief mechanic, from
the drawings by Jones.
Striking out on an original line,
Mr.. Jones had evolved a machine ca
pable of producing 1000 shingles an
hour, ranging in size from 6 by Is
inches, for dwellings, to IS inches
by IS feet, for large buildings. A
single turn of crankshaft brings into
operation a series of cogs, punches
and cams that simultaneously per-
form the eight operations necessary
to produce the finished produce. So
ingenious is the invention that the
Ouly huuidA AOlp lCqullCu Ill LID Up
Grafton is the labor of one man in
placing the metal blanks on the feed
table, and in removing the shingle
from the pile at the opposite side of
the machines.
The metal blank is automatically
fed to the machine, which cuts the
corners, punches two nail holes,
six folds in the metal, and
counts and stacks the finish
ed produce. Only two other opera
tons r necessary to place the shin
giles on the market: immersion in the
coloring solution and packing for
shipment. In it's finished state the
single will meet the demand of any
of a structure, and will outlast
the building.
Plans are o being perfected for
The manufacture on a large scale of
The shingles. The first plant will be
established at Raritan, N. j., and will
be opened in the near future. When
he machinery is installed it will be
nearly perfect as it is possible to
make it. The first machine has ex-
,eeded the expectation of the inven-
and the improvements added to
t since it was put into operation less
han a month ago., have eliminated
avery operation heretofore performed
~ an auxiliary machine, excepting
he rolling of the sheet blanks.
Thoroughly Tested
Before entering into the manufac-
ure of the shingle, the company Of .
icials subjected it to every %conceiv- :
lble test. A sufficient number of
he shingles, s inches wide and So .
inches long, were placed on the roof
# one of the buildings at the smelter. :
These shingles were subjected to a r
i've hour test under a fire hose, with :
tut injury to the roof. Not a drop i
# water found its way through the +
nortises, nor was it possible for the q
to rip a single single from a
is mooring. :
Aside from the indestructible value e
f copper, the new product oyercomes
mother Objectionable feature met =
nth in asbestos and other manufac- :
ured shingles. The interlocking de- =
ice prevents the shingles from buck n
ing as well as providing an absol- .
tely waterproof surface. The single =
ill resist fire and water, as we'll as u
he eroding influence of acids and q
lighter than any other similar in o
ention on the market. A building 7
with either the copper or q
inc product of Jones' machine has n
roof thoroughly jointed, with a .
lingle effect. n
Cost of Shingles y
One of the objections met with in o
lie use of copper for roofing pur- =
oses has been overcome as a result
{ the experiments carried on at the
The initial cost of the new