IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METALLIC ROOFING SHINGLES AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1882

page_text: '
LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the firm of Haseltine Lake.
& Co Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London for an invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF METALLIC ROOFING SHINGLES AND
IN APPARATUS THEREFOR." A communication from abroad by Robert Seaman,
of the City and State of New York, United States of America, Merchant
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st March 1882.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
METALLIC ROOFING SHINGLES AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR [A communication
from abroad by Robert Seaman, of the City and State of New York, United
States of America, Merchant.]
The object of this invention is to produce a metallic shingle which can be readily
and quickly applied to a roof and which, when laid will be very tight and securé.
The said Invention consists partly in a diamond-pointed shingle provided with a
central longitudinal tapering rib struck up and then pressed down to form an
external longitudinal groove in each side extending the full length of the rib and
so constructed that the rib of one shingle will enter the rib of the next shingle
above it. The said invention also consists partly in forming a groove along the
parallel edges of each shingle by turning such edges over on the body of the
shingle so as to enable such edges to dovetail into the grooves of the central ribs
and the rib of the overlapping shingle to enter the grooves of the parallel
edges of the adjoining shingles and in the details of the improvement as herein-
after described.
It also consists partly in apparatus for use in the manufacture of such shingles.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I make the shingles as follows, that
is to say, The ribs are widest at the point of the shingle and of gradually tapering
form, being slightly smaller at the other ends;-The parallel sides of each rib are
11

page_text: .
forced in to form external longitudinal grooves extending the full length of the
rib, and tapering from end to end. The parallel edges of each shingle are turned
up and inclined inward at an angle sufficient to permit these edges to enter the
grooves of a rib of the overlapping shingle in the course next above to dovetail
into the grooves formed by the edges until it enters the grooves of the rib of the
shingle in the course next below. Each shingle has four nail-holes.
In practice these shingles are laid with the points down and the straight edge
up the roof.
The eaves-course of shingles is laid first, these consist of half shingles formed by
cutting off the points of the shingles at the point where the straight or parallel
edges end, and the inclined edges commence.
The first course of diamond pointed shingles is then laid partially overlapping
the eaves-shingles, the rib of the overlapping shingle dovetailing into the grooves
formed by the adjoining edges of two shingles in the eaves-course until it enters
the grooves of the rib of the eaves-shingle directly in line; the next course is
laid in precisely the same manner the rib of the overlapping shingle dovetailing
into the shingles next below as stated, and so on until the roof is finished.
When these shingles are laid the nail holes of the overlapping shingle are brought
directly over the nail holes of the two underlying shingles and thus two nails serve
to fasten three shingles to the roof.
There are other ribs the chief object of which is to make the inclined edges of
the overlapping shingle lie close onto the shingles beneath it, while at the same
time they serve to stiffen the shingle and improve its appearance.
By this invention I produce a practical close-fitting shingle easily made and
capable of being tinned, galvanized, calamined, painted, or coated with enamel,
and adapted to be readily laid to form a water-tight roof.
I provide male, and female dies for stamping up the shingles to the second or
preparatory shape; also other male and female dies for stamping the shingles to
the final or finishing shape, these dies being made of the required configuration.
They are operated by a power press in the ordinary manner in which a power press
operates in any stamping operation, the moving or operating die for each operation
being attached to the cross-head of the press and its corresponding dic-plate being
bolted to the bed of the press.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Scal Patent Office on the
30th September 1882.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
A communication
from abroad by Robert Seaman of the City and State of New York, United
States of America, Merchant.
METALLIC ROOFING SHINGLES, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
The object of this invention is to produce metallic shingles which can be readily
and quickly applied to a roof, and which when laid will be very tight and secure.
The said invention consists partly in a diamond pointed shingle provided with a
central longitudinal tapering rib having an internal and external groove formed
in each side extending the full length of the said rib, and so constructed that the
said rib will enter the rib of the next shingle above it. The said invention also
consists partly in forming a flange along the parallel edges of each shingle, by
turning such edges over on the body of the said shingle, so as to enable the said
flanges to dovetail or fit into the internal grooves of the central ribs of the course
next above, and in the details of construction as hereinafter described.
consists partly in apparatus for use in the manufacture of such shingles.
In the accompanying drawings,
It. also
Figure 1 is a plan shewing shingles constructed according to this invention
connected together.
Figure 2 is a section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a plan of one shingle
Figure 4 is a plan of an eaves shingle
Figure 5 is a front elevation of a power press for holding and operating dies for
forming shingles according to this invention.
Figures 6 and 8 represent male and female dies for forming shingles to the
second or preparatory shape
Figure 7 is a section on the line x', x', Figure 6.
Figures 9 and 11 represent male and female dies for stamping the shingles to
the final or finished shape
Figure 10 is a cross section thereof on the line y, y Figure 9.
Figure 12 shews the shape of the original blank from which a shingle is formed.
Figure 13 represents a shingle after having passed through the second or
preparatory operation.
Figure 14 represents a finished shingle.
S represents the body of the shingle having a central longitudinal tapering
rib B and ribs R, R, extending along the inclined edges of each shingle. The rib B
which is of a tapering form is widest at the point of the shingle and narrow at the
other end, the sides of each rib B are forced in to form internal and external
longitudinal grooves as shown in Figure 2 extending the whole length of the rib.
The parallel edges b, b, of each shingle S are turned up, and inclined inwards at
such an angle as to permit the said edges to enter the internal grooves of the
ribs B of overlapping shingles in the next course above and the external grooves
of the course next below. Each shingle S has four nail holes s, s, s¹, s¹.
The eaves course of
These shingles are laid with the points towards the eaves.
shingles is laid first, these shingles are formed by cutting off the points of the
shingles S, at just below the straight or parallel edges b, b, as shewn in Figure 4.
The first course of diamond pointed shingles S is then laid partially overlapping

page_text: the eaves shingles, the internal grooves of the ribs B of the said shingles dovetailing
into the grooves formed by the flanges b of two adjacent shingles in the eaves
course, and the flanges of the said first course fitting into the external grooves of
the eaves course, the next course is laid in precisely the same manner the rib of
an overlapping shingle dovetailing into the shingles of the course next below, as
stated, and so on until the roof is finished. When these shingles are laid the nail
holes 8, 8, of the overlapping shingle are brought directly over the nail holes s¹, s',
of the two underlying shingles and thus two nails serve to fasten three shingles
to the roof.
The object of the ribs R, R, is to make the inclined edges of the overlapping
shingle lie close to the shingles beneath it, while at the same time they serve to
stiffen the shingle and improve its appearance.
I thus produce a practically close fitting shingle, easily made, and capable of
being tinned, galvanized, calamined, painted or coated with enamel, and adapted
to be readily laid to form a water-tight roof.
In constructing shingles according to this invention, I provide a power press of
any ordinary construction and fit it with dies. Having cut out the blank sheet
to the shape shewn in Figure 12 by means of the dies A and B, shewn in Figures 6
and 8, I shape the central tapering rib B to an oval form, stamping up the inclined
ribs R, R, and the parallel edges b, b, the blank taking the form shewn in Figure 13,
then by using the dies D and E, shewn in Figures 9 and 11, I flatten the rib B and
form the grooves on each side and incline the parallel edges b, b, inwardly as shewn
in Figure 14. The moving die is attached to the cross-head g of the power press,
the corresponding die being bolted to the bed h of the said press.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondent and the manner of performing the same I wish it under-
stood that I claim :-
First. Metallic roofing shingles provided with a central longitudinal rib tapering
from end to end and having grooves in each side extending the full length thereof,
substantially as shewn and described, for the purposes specified.
Second. Metallic roofing shingles provided with parallel edges or flanges
adapted to enter the grooves of a rib B, as set forth, for the purposes specified.
Third. Metallic roofing shingles provided with parallel edges or flanges inclined
inwardly to form grooves and adapted to dovetail into a rib B, as set forth, for the
purposes specified.
Fourth. The metallic roofing shingles S, having ribs B and R, R, inwardly
inclined edges or flanges b, b, and nail holes 8, s¹, substantially as shewn and
described, for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. The dies A, B, D, E, for use in combination with a suitable press;
substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Thirtieth day of September in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.