초록 ▼

A system and method for cutting shingles according to which a plurality of cutting blades are mounted on the outer circumference of a cutting cylinder, and the cylinder is rotated with the blades engaging the sheet while effecting relative translational movement between the cylinder and the sheet so

A system and method for cutting shingles according to which a plurality of cutting blades are mounted on the outer circumference of a cutting cylinder, and the cylinder is rotated with the blades engaging the sheet while effecting relative translational movement between the cylinder and the sheet so that shingles are cut from the sheet upon one rotation of the cylinder.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method comprising: cutting shingles from a continuous sheet of material, comprising: providing a cylinder having a circumference;mounting a first cutting blade on the cylinder so that the first cutting blade extends halfway along the circumference of the cylinder, the first cutting blade being

1. A method comprising: cutting shingles from a continuous sheet of material, comprising: providing a cylinder having a circumference;mounting a first cutting blade on the cylinder so that the first cutting blade extends halfway along the circumference of the cylinder, the first cutting blade being configured to cut a first dragon tooth pattern in the sheet;mounting a second cutting blade on the cylinder so that the second cutting blade extends halfway along the circumference of the cylinder, the first and second cutting blades being disposed in an end-to-end relationship so that together the first and second cutting blades extend along the entire circumference of the cylinder,the second cutting blade being configured to cut a second dragon tooth pattern in the sheet, the second dragon tooth pattern being different from the first dragon tooth pattern;mounting a third cutting blade on the cylinder so that the third cutting blade extends halfway along the circumference of the cylinder, the third cutting blade extending in a spaced parallel relationship to the first cutting blade for one half the circumference of the cylinder,the third cutting blade being configured to cut a third dragon tooth pattern in the sheet, the third dragon tooth pattern being different from each of the first and second dragon tooth patterns;mounting a fourth cutting blade on the cylinder so that the fourth cutting blade extends halfway along the circumference of the cylinder, the fourth cutting blade extending in a spaced parallel relationship to the second cutting blade for one half the circumference of the cylinder,the third and fourth cutting blades being disposed in an end-to-end relationship so that together the third and fourth cutting blades extend along the entire circumference of the cylinder,the fourth cutting blade being configured to cut a fourth dragon tooth pattern in the sheet, the fourth dragon tooth pattern being different from each of the first, second and third dragon tooth patterns;mounting a fifth cutting blade on the center portion of the cylinder so that the fifth cutting blade extends along the entire circumference of the cylinder and is disposed between the first and third cutting blades, and is further disposed between the second and fourth cutting blades;rotating the cylinder while effecting relative translational movement between the cylinder and the sheet;andmaking transverse cuts in the sheet to thereby cut the sheet into segments, each segment having a length equal to one half the circumference of the cylinder, wherein making transverse cuts in the sheet to thereby cut the sheet into segments comprises providing one or more end cutters on the cylinder so that the transverse cuts are made in response to rotating the cylinder while effecting relative translational movement between the cylinder and the sheet;wherein, in response to a first revolution of the cylinder during the rotation of the cylinder, the relative translational movement between the cylinder and the sheet, and at least two transverse cuts in the sheet, the fifth cutting blade makes a first longitudinal cut down the center of the sheet to divide a first length of the sheet into two portions, the first length being equal to the entire circumference of the cylinder, andeach of the first, second, third and fourth dragon tooth patterns produces two shingles with complementary tabs and spaces between the tabs,thereby producing a first set of eight shingles. 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: stacking and applying the shingles in the first set of eight shingles to a roof in sequence to thereby achieve a random, dimensional appearance. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein, in response to a second revolution of the cylinder during the rotation of the cylinder, the relative translational movement between the cylinder and the sheet, and two other transverse cuts in the sheet, the fifth cutting blade makes a second longitudinal cut down the center of the sheet to divide a second length of the sheet into two portions, the second length being equal to the entire circumference of the cylinder, andeach of the first, second, third and fourth dragon tooth patterns produces two more shingles with complementary tabs and spaces between the tabs,thereby producing a second set of eight shingles, andeach shingle in the second set of eight singles being substantially identical to one shingle in the first set of eight shingles. 4. A method comprising: cutting shingles from a continuous sheet of material, comprising: mounting a series of cutting blades in an end-to-end relationship on a cylinder so that each blade extends for an equal portion of the circumference of the cylinder and so that the blades together extend around the entire circumference of the cylinder, wherein each blade is configured to cut a different dragon tooth pattern in the sheet;rotating the cylinder while effecting relative translational movement between the cylinder and the sheet so that the blades sequentially engage and cut the sheet to make a continuous longitudinal cut down the sheet to separate the sheet into two portions;andmaking transverse cuts in the sheet to thereby cut the sheet into segments, comprising: providing a plurality of end cutters on the cylinder, wherein an end cutter is provided on the cylinder at each end-to-end relationship between adjacent cutting blades so that each segment has a length equal to the circumference of the cylinder divided by the number of blades in the series;wherein at least one set of shingles is cut in the sheet upon each revolution of the cylinder, the number of shingles in the one set being equal to two times the number of blades in the series;wherein cutting shingles from the continuous sheet of material further comprises: mounting another series of cutting blades in an end-to-end relationship on the cylinder so that: each blade in the another series extends for the equal portion of the circumference of the cylinder, is spaced in a parallel relation from a respective blade in the first-mentioned series, and is circumferentially aligned with the respective blade in the first-mentioned series,andthe blades in the another series together extend around the entire circumference of the cylinder, wherein each blade in the another series is configured to cut a dragon tooth pattern in the sheet that is different from the other blades in the another series and that is different from the blades in the first-mentioned series;andmounting a center cutting blade on the center portion of the cylinder so that the center cutting blade extends along the entire circumference of the cylinder and is disposed between the another series and the first-mentioned series;wherein each of the end cutters is provided on the cylinder at an end-to-end relationship between adjacent cutting blades in the first-mentioned series and at the respective circumferentially-aligned and parallel-spaced end-to-end relationship between adjacent cutting blades in the another series;andwherein at least another set of shingles is cut in the sheet upon each revolution of the cylinder, the number of shingles in the another set being equal to the number of shingles in the one set. 5. The method of claim 4 further comprising: stacking and applying the shingles to a roof in sequence to thereby achieve a random, dimensional appearance.