Shingles

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In accordance with one aspect of my invention, a roofing shingle has a periphery therearound defining a generally planar central area.
The periphery comprises a first margin portion extending along approximately one half of the periphery and a second margin portion extending along the remainder of the periphery.
The first margin portion is downwardly turned, to define two opposed ends, preferably the edge of the first margin portion being outwardly upset to form a narrow skirt which resides in a plane which is suitably parallel to that of the central area and spaced apart therefrom by the width of the first margin portion, which will preferably be constant therealong.
A notional diagonal bisects the first and second margin portions to intersect them respectively at first and second zones.
Generally speaking, the shingles will be symmetrical on opposed sides of this diagonal.
A connector depends from the first margin portion adjacent the first of the zones.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the connector comprises a head portion residing in a plane generally parallel to that of the central area and spaced therebelow by a distance equal to about twice the width of the first margin portion by a tongue portion which connects the head portion to the first margin portion.
The head portion has a width greater than that of the tongue portion so as to form therewith two hook elements which will hook the connector beneath the downturned margins of two other adjacent shingles forming part of a lower course of shingles on a roof or wall.
Many other forms of lock connectors are known in the art, however, and under some circumstances may be preferred.
The shingle preferably includes a shingle support means which is disposed on the undersurface of the central area, and which is suitably in the form of sheet expanded foam plastic such as polystyrene.
The thickness of the shingle support means diminishes uniformly as measured along the diagonal in a direction away from the connector such that when the shingle is layed in a position of repose on a planar surface, the central area adjacent the second zone and the edges adjacent each end of the first margin portion will be proximate the planar surface, and the first zone of the central area will be spaced thereabove by about twice the width of the first margin portion