Polymat shingle

Abstract

Disclosed is a shingle that uses a polyester sheet as a substrate layer. The polyester sheet has a sufficient weight and is needled and formed from two layers to resist shrinking upon cooling after the heated asphalt layers are applied to the polyester substrate sheet 102. In addition, additives may be included in the asphalt to lower the softening point temperature of the asphalt that further reduces shrinking of the polyester substrate 102 or allows other polymers that are more fire retardant to be used. Fire retardants can be placed in the polyester sheet fibers, placed in the bonding agent for the polyester fibers, or the polyester sheet can be coated with the fire retardant. Alternatively, or in addition to treating the polyester sheet 102 with fire retardant, fire retardant materials such as ammonium sulfate can be added to the liquid asphalt prior to application of the asphalt layers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making a roofing shingle comprising:
 forming a non-woven polyester sheet having a mass of at least 65 grams per square meter;   coating said non-woven polyester sheet with a fire retardant;   heating asphalt to a liquid state;   applying said asphalt in said liquid state to a first side of said polyester sheet and to a second side of said polyester sheet;   allowing said asphalt to cool in ambient air.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 mixing additives with said asphalt in said liquid state to reduce the equiviscous temperature of said asphalt. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said process of mixing additives comprises mixing napthenic oil with said asphalt. 
     
     
         4 . A method of making an impact resistant roofing shingle comprising:
 forming a porous polyester sheet having a mass of at least 65 grams per square meter that is made from a plurality of extruded viscoelastic polyester fibers that are entangled using a needle punch process and fused together using heat and pressure;   heating asphalt to a liquid state to create liquid asphalt;   mixing a fire retardant with said liquid asphalt to form a fire retardant asphalt;   applying said fire retardant asphalt to both a top surface and a bottom surface of said porous polyester sheet;   applying granules and fines to said fire retardant asphalt to form a shingle material.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said step of mixing a fire retardant with said liquid asphalt comprises mixing ammonium sulfate with said liquid asphalt. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising:
 mixing additives with said liquid asphalt to reduce the equiviscous temperature and decrease viscosity of said asphalt. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said process of mixing additives to said liquid asphalt comprises mixing napthenic oil with said liquid asphalt. 
     
     
         8 . A method of making an impact resistant and fire retardant roofing material comprising:
 mixing polyester and a fire retardant in a dry state;   heating said polyester and said fire retardant to form a fire retardant and polyester liquid;   extruding said fire retardant polyester liquid to form a plurality of extruded fire retardant polyester fibers;   entangling the resulting fire retardant polyester fibers through a needle punch process to create at least one layer of intertwined, non-woven, polyester fibers;   calendering said at least one layer of intertwined, non-woven, polyester layer by passing said polyester layer through a heated calender roll to form a porous fire retardant polyester sheet;   heating asphalt to a liquid state to create liquid asphalt;   applying said liquid asphalt to both a top surface and a bottom surface of said porous, fire retardant polyester sheet;   applying granules and fines to said asphalt to form said impact resistant roofing material.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 coating said porous fire retardant polyester sheet with a fire retardant material. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 mixing a fire retardant with said liquid asphalt. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 mixing additives with said liquid asphalt to lower the softening point temperature and decrease viscosity of said liquid asphalt. 
 
     
     
         12 . A system for making an impact resistant polyester roofing shingle comprising:
 a non-woven, two layer polyester sheet that is made from a plurality of extruded polyester fibers that are entangled in a needle punch process and fused together by passing said polyester layer through heated calender rolls to form a porous polyester sheet;   a heated asphalt mixer that mixes a fire retardant material with a heated, liquid asphalt to create a fire retardant liquid asphalt;   coaters that coat said non-woven, two layer polyester sheet with said fire retardant liquid asphalt on both a top surface and a bottom surface of said non-woven, two layer polyester sheet to form an asphalt coated polyester sheet;   a granule applicator that applies granules to said asphalt coated polyester sheet;   a fines applicator that applies fines to said asphalt coated polyester sheet.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein said heated asphalt mixer mixes at least one additive to lower the softening point temperature and decrease the viscosity of said asphalt. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  wherein said additive is napthenic oil. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12  wherein said fire retardant is ammonium sulfate. 
     
     
         16 . A system for making an impact resistant polyester roofing shingle material comprising:
 a mixer that mixes polyester with a fire retardant to form a fire retardant, polyester dry mix;   an extruder that heats said fire retardant, polyester dry mix to form a fire retardant, polyester liquid;   a metering pump and spinneret system that extrudes said fire retardant, polyester liquid to form a plurality of extruded fire retardant polyester fibers;   a needle machine that entangles said fire retardant polyester fibers to create at least one layer of entangled, non-woven, polyester fibers;   a calender roll process that compresses and heats said layer of entangled, non-woven, polyester fibers to form a porous polyester sheet;   coaters that coat said porous polyester sheet with liquid asphalt.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  further comprising:
 a heated asphalt mixer that mixes at least one additive with said liquid asphalt to lower the softening point temperature and decrease the viscosity of said liquid asphalt.