System and method for cutting roofing shingles

1. A system for cutting shingles from a continuous sheet of material, the system comprising:

a cylinder having a circumference;

a first cutting blade mounted on the cylinder and extending halfway along the circumference of the cylinder,

the first cutting blade being configured to cut a first dragon tooth pattern in the sheet;

a second cutting blade mounted on the cylinder and extending 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, the second dragon tooth pattern being different than the first dragon tooth pattern;

a third cutting blade mounted on the cylinder and extending 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, the third dragon tooth pattern being different than each of the first and second dragon tooth patterns;

a fourth cutting blade mounted on the cylinder and extending 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, the fourth dragon tooth pattern being different than each of the first, second and third dragon tooth patterns;

a fifth cutting blade mounted on the center portion of the cylinder and extending along the entire circumference of the cylinder so that the fifth cutting blade is disposed between the first and third cutting blades, and is further disposed between the second and fourth cutting blades;

means for rotating the cylinder while effecting relative translational movement between the cylinder and the sheet; and

means, provided on the cylinder, for 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,

wherein, when the shingles in the first set of eight shingles are stacked and applied to a roof in sequence, a random appearance is achieved; and

wherein, in response to a second revolution of the cylinder during the rotation of the cylinder, the relative translational movement between the cylinder and the sheet, and two other transverse cuts in the sheet,

the fifth cutting blade makes a second longitudinal cut down the center of the sheet to divide a second length of the sheet into two portions, the second length being equal to the entire circumference of the cylinder, and

each of the first, second, third and fourth dragon tooth patterns produces two more shingles with complementary tabs and spaces between the tabs,

thereby producing a second set of eight shingles,

each shingle in the second set of eight singles being unique from the other shingles in the second set of eight shingles,

each shingle in the second set of eight singles being substantially identical to one shingle in the first set of eight shingles,

wherein, when the shingles in the second set of eight shingles are stacked and applied to a roof in sequence, a random appearance is achieved.