System and method for cutting roofing shingles

A method comprising:

• cutting shingles from a continuous sheet of material, comprising:
• mounting a first series of cutting blades on a cylinder in an end-to-end relationship so that each blade extends for a portion of the circumference of the cylinder and so that the blades together extend around the entire circumference of the cylinder;
• mounting a second series of cutting blades on the cylinder in an end-to-end relationship so that each blade in the second series extends for a portion of the circumference of the cylinder and so that the blades of the second series together extend around the entire circumference of the cylinder;
• cutting a continuous longitudinal cut down the center of the sheet to divide the sheet into two portions;
• and
• rotating the cylinder while effecting relative translational movement between the cylinder and the sheet so that the first series of blades sequentially engage and cut one of the sheet portions to make a continuous longitudinal cut down the one sheet portion to separate the one sheet portions into two sections, and so that the second series of blades sequentially engage and cut the other sheet portion to make a continuous longitudinal cut down the other sheet portion to separate the other sheet portion into two sections;
• the configurations of at least a portion the blades being different so that a corresponding number of shingles having different patterns are cut in the sheet upon each revolution of the cylinder.

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;
• 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;
• 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,
• 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;
• and
• making 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, 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, and
• each 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,
• each shingle in the first set of eight singles being unique from the other shingles in the first set of eight shingles.

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;
• and
• making 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.