Patent ID: 8409689

Claim:
A laminated shingle having front and rear exterior surfaces and being comprised of at least two layers of shingle material, one being an anterior layer and the other being a posterior layer, with the posterior layer having front and rear surfaces, a width defined by upper and lower edges and a length defined by right and left edges, the posterior layer 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 thereto, 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; 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 said reinforcement 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.