Patent ID: 7565971

Claim:
A package of specialty roofing materials comprising: (a) a plurality of shingles arranged in nested relation, one against another in a stack, with the stack having opposite ends and having endmost shingles at opposite ends of the stack, with the shingles each being: (i) of variable thickness in a longitudinal direction, from a thicker edge to an opposite thinner edge; and (ii) pre-folded to comprise two shingle panel portions folded about a common connecting longitudinally disposed fold line such that the two panel portions are at angular planes to each other, and such that, in a transverse direction relative to said fold line the shingles each substantially define a V-shaped configuration of selected orientation, with the an endmost folded shingle in the stack having a substantially hollow zone therein, which, in a transverse direction relative to its fold line is of V-shaped configuration; (b) at least one insert structure disposed against an endmost shingle in the stack, with the at least one insert structure having longitudinally spaced-apart ends and being of generally triangular configuration in the transverse direction between its said spaced-apart ends and presenting two generally planar surface legs of the at least one insert structure against said panel portions and supporting said panel portions of the endmost shingle in its said hollow zone; (c) said at least one insert structure including a support for maintaining the shape of the at least one insert structure; said support being any one of: (i) at least one triangular support connected to said planar surface legs at said spaced-apart ends; (ii) at least one support interior of said at least one insert structure, supporting said planar surface legs; (iii) a supporting planar surface connecting the generally planar surface legs to comprise a third planar surface leg of said triangular configuration; and (iv) a substantially solid three-dimensional foam support in said hollow zone of said endmost shingle; and (d) a container in which said stack of shingles and said at least one insert structure are disposed.