Asphalt shingle

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention involves a rectangular shingle sheet having a butt portion which is longitudinally divided into spaced apart tab segments and an undivided headlap portion which is 1.
3 to 1.
5 times as high as the outward extension of said tab segments to their butt edge in said butt portion.
The butt and headlap portions of the rectangular sheet are coated on their undersurfaces with an asphaltic backing in varying degrees of thickness, wherein the upper area of the headlap portion which is approximately of a height equal to that of the butt portion is coated in a thickness between about 5 and about 15 mils and the remaining lower longitudinal boundary of the headlap portion, where the headlap and butt portions are joined, and the entire butt portion is uniformly coated in a thickness within the range of between about 20 and about 100 mils.
It is contemplated that the shingle sheets of the present invention include roofing shingles and siding shingles and may include composite or unitary shingle units.
In general, the shingle sheet comprises a base or substrate sheet of fiberglass mat or asphalt impregnated organic or inorganic felt or felt stock, which, in the case of glass mat has a thickness of between about 10 to 35 mils; and, in the case of a felt, has a thickness of between about 25 and about 95 mils.
The upper surface of the substrate carries a substantially uniform layer of asphaltic material in a thickness sufficient to provide a weather resistant, integral coating; usually, between about 15 and about 60 mils uniform thickness, preferably between about 20 and about 50 mils uniform thickness.
On this asphaltic surface layer is adhered decorative and protective mineral roofing shingle granules of from about #5 to about #21, preferably from about #7 to about #11 particle size.
The decorative granules may be colored to simulate wood, tile or slate surfaces or may be uncolored as derived from natural mineral materials as for example ground slate particles, sand and the like or may be glass or ceramic beads, and may constitute any mixture of colored and uncolored mineral particles to provide a pleasing effect