US Patent 8978332 Roofing shingle system and shingles for use therein

A roofing shingle is disclosed comprising a headlap portion with a non-straight longitudinal edge and a buttlap portion with a plurality of tabs with a non-straight longitudinal edge and spaced apart by openings, wherein the non-straight longitudinal edges do not shadow each other laterally across the shingle. A roofing system is disclosed wherein at least a portion of the headlap portion of such shingle from a subsequently installed course overlaps at least a portion of the headlap portion of a shingle from a previously installed course. The maximum headlap overlap dimension is beneath the subsequently installed shingle laterally proximate the openings in the buttlap portion of the subsequently installed shingle. A method for making the shingle is disclosed comprising cutting a sheet of roofing material longitudinally along non-straight lines wherein at least a portion of each formed shingle has a width of about twelve inches.