Patent ID: 8615968

Claim:
An array of shingles applied to a roof, by fasteners, in courses, each shingle having front and rear exterior surfaces and being comprised of shingle material, with the shingle having a width defined by upper and lower edges and a length defined by right and left edges, the shingle comprising: (a) a base layer of mat having front and rear surfaces; (b) a coating of asphaltic material on both front and rear surfaces of the mat; (c) coatings of granular material on said both front and rear surfaces of the mat, which, together with said base layer of mat and said coating of asphaltic material comprise a first thickness layer; (d) a longitudinal fastening zone between right and left shingle edges, generally intermediate said upper and lower edges; (e) and an at least partially externally visible generally longitudinal reinforcement second thickness layer of a substantially thinner dimension than said first thickness layer; said reinforcement second thickness layer being adhered to an exterior surface of said shingle and extending at least substantially between right and left edges of the shingle; and (f) said reinforcement second thickness layer extending at least partially lower than the fastening zone, toward the lower edge of the shingle or at least partially into the fastening zone toward the upper edge of the shingle.