Patent Publication Number: US-6711971-B1

Title: Roofing removal apparatus

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to roofing removal tools and more particularly pertains to a new roofing removal apparatus for removing existing shingles from a roof. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of roofing removal tools is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,713 describes a roofing removal process and machine. Another type of roofing removal tool is U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,433 having a small tractor and a roof removing attachment that extend forwardly of the tractor. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally comprises an elongate base member that has a front end and a back end. A frame is mounted on the base member, and a power source is secured to the frame. A pair of wheels are rotatably coupled to sides of the base member. An elongate upper member for separating the shingles from the roof is positioned on top of the base member. The upper member has a forward end and a rearward end. A pivot coupler is positioned between the upper member and the base member. A cam member is attached to the power source. A coupling member couples the upper member to the power source. A guard protects the power source from debris. A handle member for allows a user to control movement of the base member, and a control assembly for controls the power source. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a new roofing removal apparatus according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the present invention depicted in different positions. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the handle of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 5 thereof, a new roofing removal apparatus embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 5, the roofing removal apparatus  10  generally comprises an elongate base member  12  that has a front end  13  and a back end  14 . A top front corner  15  of the front end  13  of the base member  12  is beveled. The front end  13  of the base member  12  forms a blade section  16  across a width of the base member  12 . 
     A bottom surface  17  of the base member  12  has a substantially flat portion  18  positioned adjacent to the front end  13  for abutting the roof such that the front end  13  is positionable between the shingles and the roof. A thickness of the back end  14  of the base member  12  is generally greater than a thickness of the front end  13  such that the base member  12  is generally wedge-shaped. 
     A frame  19  is fixedly coupled to a top surface  20  of the base member  12  and positioned adjacent to the back end  14 . 
     A power source  21  is mounted on the frame  19 . The power source  21  includes a rotatable drive shaft  22  that extends outward from a front side  23  of the power source  21 . The power source  21  comprises a gas engine  24 . 
     A pair of wheels  25  are rotatably coupled to sides  26  of the base member  12 . Each of the wheels  25  is positioned nearer to the back end  14  than the front end  13 . Each of the wheels  25  extends away from the base member  12  such that the back end  14  of the base member  12  is supported by the wheels  25 . 
     An elongate upper member  27  for separating the shingles from the roof has a forward end  28  and a rearward end  29 . The forward end  28  of the upper member  27  is positionable adjacent to the blade section  16  of the base member  12 . The forward end  28  of the upper member  27  has a plurality of triangular cutouts  20  extending across a width of the upper member  27 . The width of the upper member  27  is generally equal to the width of the base member  12 . A thickness of the rearward end  29  of the upper member  27  is generally greater than a thickness of the forward end  28  such that the upper member  27  is wedge-shaped. 
     A pivot coupler  31  is positioned between the upper member  27  and the base member  12 . The pivot coupler  31  acts as a fulcrum causing the forward end  28  of the upper member  27  to oscillate upward and downward when the rearward end  29  oscillates between a lower position  32  and an upper position 33  respectively. A longitudinal axis of the pivot coupler  31  is oriented substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the base member  12 . The pivot coupler  31  is located nearer the front end  13  of the base member  12  than the back end  14 . A bottom side  34  of the upper member  27  abuts the pivot coupler  31  and the forward end  28  abuts the base member  12  when the rearward end  29  of the upper member  27  is in the upper position  33 . 
     A cam member  35  is attached to the power source  21 . The cam member  35  is positioned adjacent to an outer end  36  of the drive shaft  22  of the power source  21 . 
     A coupling member  37  couples the upper member  27  to the power source  21 . An outer side  38  of the coupling member  37  is hingably coupled to the rearward end  29  of the upper member  27 . An inner side  39  of the coupling member  37  is rotatably coupled to the cam member  35  such that the rearward end  29  of the upper member  27  oscillates between the upper position  33  and the lower position  32  when the cam member  35  rotates. 
     A guard  40  protects the power source  21 . The guard  40  is mounted to an upper forward portion  41  of the power source  21 . 
     A handle member  42  for allowing a user to control movement of the base member  12  is fixedly coupled to and extends upward and rearward from the back end  14  of the base member  12 . The handle member  42  is generally U-shaped. 
     A control assembly  43  controls the power source  21  and comprises a control lever  44  and a control cable  45 . Ends  46  of the control lever  44  are pivotally coupled to an uppermost portion  47  of the handle member  42 . The control cable  45  is attached to and extends between the control lever  44  and the power source  21 . The control cable  45  is pulled taut when the control lever  44  is pivoted fully downward onto the handle such that the power source  21  is enabled. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, 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.