Importance

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Abstract

A composite roofing material includes a flexible rubber or thermoplastic sheet and a fleece-like matting with a polymeric film positioned therebetween. The polymeric film acts as a hot melt adhesive to cause the matting to adhere to the rubber or thermoplastic sheet. The composite material is made by abrading one side of the rubber or thermoplastic sheet, washing the abraded sheet, stretching the sheet, heating the rubber or thermoplastic sheet and then compressing the heated rubber or thermoplastic sheet together with the polymeric film and the fleece-like matting. By using a polymeric film and matting which is slightly narrower than the rubber or thermoplastic sheet, a selvedge is created along each longitudinal edge of the resultant roofing material to one of which a double sided tape can be adhered to facilitate sealing adjacent sheets of roofing material together. An apparatus for making the roofing material includes a reel support for reels of each of the rubber or thermoplastic sheet, the polymeric film and the fleece matting and pinch rollers which advance the rubber or thermoplastic sheet from its reel through an abrading roller, a rinsing vat, a stretcher, through a heater and then, along with the polymer film and the matting, through a pair of compression pinch rollers. A splicing table is provided for splicing sheets of the rubber or thermoplastic sheets together end to end.

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First Claim