초록 ▼

A high speed granule delivery system and method for dispensing granules in intermittent patterns onto a moving asphalt coated substrate includes a granule hopper and a rotationally indexable pocket wheel in the bottom of the hopper. A series of pockets are formed in the circumference of the wheel an

A high speed granule delivery system and method for dispensing granules in intermittent patterns onto a moving asphalt coated substrate includes a granule hopper and a rotationally indexable pocket wheel in the bottom of the hopper. A series of pockets are formed in the circumference of the wheel and separated by raised lands. A seal on the bottom of the hopper seals against the raised lands as the pockets are filled with granules during rotation of the pocket wheel through the hopper. As each pocket is indexed beyond the seal, it is exposed to the moving asphalt coated substrate below and its granules fall onto the substrate to be embedded in the hot tacky asphalt. The speed at which the wheel is indexed is coordinated with the speed of the asphalt coated substrate to form well defined patterns of granules at high production rates.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of creating adjacent patches of different colored granules on an asphalt coated substrate moving in a downstream direction in the manufacturing of shingles, the method comprising the steps of: defining a series of spaced apart first areas along the asphalt coated substrate designated to

1. A method of creating adjacent patches of different colored granules on an asphalt coated substrate moving in a downstream direction in the manufacturing of shingles, the method comprising the steps of: defining a series of spaced apart first areas along the asphalt coated substrate designated to receive granules of a first color and defining a series of spaced apart second areas adjacent to and between the first areas designated to receive granules of a second color;conveying the asphalt coated substrate along a production path in the downstream direction at a predetermined line speed;incrementally rotating a first pocket wheel to move a pocket of the first pocket wheel into a supply of granules of the first color;stopping rotation of the first pocket wheel to collect a partial charge of granules of the first color within the pocket of the first pocket wheel;incrementally rotating the first pocket wheel to move the pocket of the first pocket wheel across a stationary seal separating the supply of granules of the first color and the moving asphalt coated substrate to cast the partial charge of granules of the first color into the first areas to create granule patches having a sharp leading edge and an indistinct trailing edge, the partial charge being less than sufficient to cover the first areas and thereby leaving a portion of the first areas exposed;incrementally rotating a second pocket wheel to move a pocket of the second pocket wheel into a supply of granules of the second color;stopping rotation of the second pocket wheel to collect a full charge of granules of the second color within the pocket of the second pocket wheel;incrementally rotating the second pocket wheel to move the pocket of the second pocket wheel across a stationary seal separating the supply of granules of the second color and the moving asphalt coated substrate to cast the full charge of granules of the second color into the second areas to create granule patches having a sharp leading edge and an indistinct trailing edge, the full charge being more than sufficient to cover the second areas and thereby overlapping the leading edges of the patches of the first color;filling the exposed portions of the first areas with granules of the first color, andremoving loose granules while retaining previously applied and underlying stuck granules to create adjacent granule patches of different colors with sharp linear color definition between patches. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the partial charge of granules of the first color are cast directly into the first areas immediately below the pocket wheel. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the full charge of granules of the second color is cast directly into the second areas immediately below the pocket of the second pocket wheel. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein filling the exposed portions of the first areas with granules of the first color comprises passing the asphalt coated substrate through a pour of granules of the first color. 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising defining a series of spaced apart third areas along the asphalt coated substrate designated to receive granules of a third color, each of the third areas being located between two adjacent first areas. 6. The method of claim 5 further comprising: incrementally rotating a third pocket wheel to move a pocket of the third pocket wheel into a supply of granules of the third color;stopping rotation of the third pocket wheel to collect a full charge of granules of the third color within the pocket of the third pocket wheel; andincrementally rotating the third pocket wheel to move the pocket of the third pocket wheel across a stationary seal separating the supply of granules of the third color and the moving asphalt coated substrate to cast the full charge of granules of the third color into the third areas to create granule patches having a sharp leading edge and an indistinct trailing edge, the full charge being more than sufficient to cover the third areas and thereby overlapping the leading edges of the patches of the first color. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the second color is lighter in color than the third color and the granules of the first color are a blend of the granules of the second color and the granules of the third color. 8. A method of creating adjacent patches of granules having alternating first and second colors along an asphalt coated substrate moving in a downstream direction at a line speed, the method comprising the steps of: (a) rotating a first pocket wheel to move a pocket of the first pocket wheel into a supply of granules of the first color;(b) decelerating the first pocket wheel to allow a partial charge of granules of the first color to be collected within the pocket of the first pocket wheel;(c) accelerating the first pocket wheel to a full circumferential linear speed greater than or about ⅓ the line speed;(d) moving the pocket of the first pocket wheel across a stationary seal separating the supply of granules of the first color and the moving asphalt coated substrate to cast the partial charge of granules of the first color directly onto the moving asphalt coated substrate immediately below the first pocket wheel to create a first patch of granules having a sharp leading edge and an indistinct trailing edge, the partial charge of granules of the first color being less than sufficient to cover an intended first area of coverage and thereby leaving an exposed portion of the intended first area of coverage upstream of the trailing edge;(e) rotating a second pocket wheel to move a pocket of the second pocket wheel into a supply of granules of the second color;(f) decelerating the second pocket wheel to allow a full charge of granules of the second color to be collected within the pocket of the second pocket wheel;(g) accelerating the second pocket wheel to the full circumferential linear speed;(h) moving the pocket of the second pocket wheel across a stationary seal separating the supply of granules of the second color and the moving asphalt coated substrate to cast the full charge of granules of the second color directly onto the moving asphalt coated substrate immediately below the second pocket wheel and downstream of the first patch of granules to create a second patch of granules having a sharp leading edge and an indistinct trailing edge, the full charge of granules of the second color being more than sufficient to cover an intended second area of coverage and thereby overlapping the leading edge of the first patch of granules;(i) filling in the exposed portion of the intended first area of coverage with granules of the first color; and(j) in removing granules of the first color and the second color that are not embedded in the asphalt of the substrate while retaining previously applied and underlying embedded granules to create the adjacent granule patches of alternating first and second colors. 9. The method of claim 8 further comprising repeating steps (a) through (h) to create a pattern of alternating patches of granules along the asphalt coated substrate. 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the pockets of the first and second pocket wheels are generally rectangular to create patches of granules that are substantially rectangular. 11. The method of claim 8 wherein the asphalt coated substrate is moving in the downstream direction at a line speed greater than or about 800 FPM. 12. The method of claim 8 wherein the asphalt coated substrate is moving in the downstream direction at a line speed greater than or about 1,000 FPM. 13. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined line speed is greater than or about 1,000 FPM. 14. A method of creating adjacent patches of different colored granules on an asphalt coated substrate moving in a downstream direction in the manufacturing of shingles, the method comprising the steps of: defining a series of spaced apart first areas along the asphalt coated substrate designated to receive granules of a first color and defining a series of spaced apart second areas adjacent to and between the first areas designated to receive granules of a second color;conveying the asphalt coated substrate along a production path in the downstream direction at a predetermined line speed;rotating a first pocket wheel through a supply of granules of the first color;decelerating the first pocket wheel to allow a partial charge of granules of the first color to be collected within at least one pocket of the first pocket wheel;accelerating the first pocket wheel to a full circumferential linear speed substantially equal to the predetermined line speed to move the pocket across a stationary seal separating the supply of granules of the first color and the moving asphalt coated substrate;casting the granules into the first areas immediately below the first pocket wheel to create granule patches having a sharp leading edge, the partial charge being less than sufficient to cover the first areas and thereby leaving a portion of the first areas exposed;rotating a second pocket wheel through a supply of granules of the second color;decelerating the second pocket wheel to allow a full charge of granules of the second color to be collected within at least one pocket of the second pocket wheel;accelerating the second pocket wheel to the full circumferential linear speed substantially equal to the predetermined line speed to move the pocket across a stationary seal separating the supply of granules of the second color and the moving asphalt coated substrate;casting the granules into the second areas immediately below the second pocket wheel to create granule patches having a sharp leading edge and an indistinct trailing edge, the full charge being more than sufficient to cover the second areas and thereby overlapping the leading edges of the patches of the first color;filling the exposed portions of the first areas with granules of the first color, andremoving loose granules while retaining previously applied and underlying stuck granules to create adjacent granule patches of different colors with sharp linear color definition between patches. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the asphalt coated substrate is moving in the downstream direction at a line speed greater than or about 800 FPM. 16. The method of claim 14 wherein the asphalt coated substrate is moving in the downstream direction at a line speed greater than or about 1,000 FPM.