Pre-Assembled Ventilated Shingle Set

An assembly of shingles comprising:

• a plurality of side-by-side shingles;
• one or more connectors between each pair of shingles,
• the shingles and connectors forming a semi-rigid panel;
• an alignment gauge on the front face of the panel,
• wherein the shingles and connectors of the semi-rigid panel remain connected to each other throughout handling and installation, and
• wherein the shingles are aligned when the panel is installed on a flat surface, and
• wherein the connectors are substantially contained within the plane of the shingles such that the installed assembly functions as a conventional individual shingle installation, and
• wherein the shingles within the panel and the alignment gauge being configured in such a manner that a second row of adjacent panels being placed on top of and overlapping a first row of adjacent panels and offset laterally such that a mark or edge of the panels in the second row aligns with a mark or edge of panels in the first row, the keyways of the second row are offset from the keyways in the first row.

An assembly of shingles comprising:

• a plurality of side-by-side shingles;
• one or more connectors between each pair of shingles,
• the shingles and connectors forming a semi-rigid panel;
• an alignment gauge on the front face of the panel,
• wherein the connectors allow the shingles to expand and contract, and
• wherein the shingles and connectors of the semi-rigid panel remain connected to each other throughout handling and installation, and
• wherein the shingles are aligned when the panel is installed on a flat surface, and
• wherein the connectors are substantially contained within the plane of the shingles such that the installed assembly functions as a conventional individual shingle installation, and
• wherein the shingles within the panel and the alignment gauge being configured in such a manner that a second row of adjacent panels being placed on top of and overlapping a first row of adjacent panels and offset laterally such that a mark or edge of the panels in the second row aligns with a mark or edge of panels in the first row, the keyways of the second row are offset from the keyways in the first row, and
• wherein the shingles within the panel and the alignment gauge being configured in such a manner that a third row of adjacent panels being placed on top of and overlapping the second row of adjacent panels and offset laterally such that a mark or edge of the panels in the third row aligns with a mark or edge of panels in the second row, the keyways of the third row are offset from the keyways in the second and first rows.

A ventilation space for cedar shingle installations comprising:

• a multitude of ridges or beads or other spacers installed on the back of the shingles;
• the ridges or beads or other spacers providing a gap between overlapping layers of shingles and between the shingle installation and the substrate,
• wherein the gap provides a capillary break between shingle layers and between the shingle installation and the substrate, the capillary break preventing the accumulation and entrapment of moisture, and
• wherein the gap provides an airspace between shingle layers and between the shingle installation and the substrate, the airspace enabling airflow that provides faster and more even drying.

A connector for connecting side-by-side shingles to each other;

• the shingles and connectors forming a panel,
• wherein the structural integrity of the panel is such that the panel will not break or deform when subjected to normal handling, and
• wherein the shingles are aligned when the panel is installed on a flat surface, and
• wherein the connectors are substantially contained within the plane of the shingles and allow the shingles to expand and contract normally such that the installed assembly functions as a proper conventional individual shingle installation.

A clip for connecting side-by-side shingles to each other, the clip comprising:

• plates that overlaps the front and back of both shingles;
• tabs that extend from the outer edge of the plates into slots in the shingles;
• the plates overlapping each shingle connected to each other in a manner such that a spring tension forces the tabs of the clip into the shingle slots when the clip is installed,
• wherein the spring tension of the clip is such that the tabs will remain in the shingle slots as the shingles expand and contract normally, and
• wherein the spring tension of the clip is such that the tabs will remain in the shingle slots when a plurality of connected shingles are bowed in a manner that would be typical during handling and installation, and
• wherein the installed clips are substantially contained within the plane of the connected shingles such that a plurality of connected shingles functions as a conventional individual shingle installation.