Abstract: A production line and process including a moving carrier web for transporting the panel, and a device for controlling thickness of a formed, but not yet set, fiber reinforced cementitious panel slurry on the web. The thickness control device may include an angled rigid plate for contacting a downstream end of the angled plate with the slurry on the moving carrier web and a mounting stand for mounting the angled rigid. The thickness control device may include a flat horizontal plate at a fixed height over the moving carrier for contacting the entire lower surface of the horizontal plate with a facer on the slurry on the moving carrier web. Or, the thickness control device may include the angled plate and include the horizontal plate that contacts the facer.

Abstract: A production line and process including a moving carrier web for transporting the panel, and a device for controlling thickness of a formed, but not yet set, fiber reinforced cementitious panel slurry on the web. The thickness control device may include an angled rigid plate for contacting a downstream end of the angled plate with the slurry on the moving carrier web and a mounting stand for mounting the angled rigid. The thickness control device may include a flat horizontal plate at a fixed height over the moving carrier for contacting the entire lower surface of the horizontal plate with a facer on the slurry on the moving carrier web. Or, the thickness control device may include the angled plate and include the horizontal plate that contacts the facer.

Abstract: A vibrating flexible smoothing sheet or shroud disposed transversely of a direction of travel of a formed fiber panel including gypsum-cementitious slurry and embedded chopped fibers. The sheet is used to smooth the surface of the panel as it exits a fiber embedment station of a structural cementitious panel production line to remove grooves and other non-uniform surface imperfections to reduce the need for costly finishing after the panels are cured and cut to size. The flexible sheet is designed to float over the surface of the formed panel without tearing or otherwise damaging the surface of the heavily fiber reinforced surface layers of the panel. The vibrating sheet is pivotally mounted on the side dams of the web production line so it can float over the panel surface during use, but be raised off the line when not in use.

Abstract: A head-box for depositing slurry upon a moving web including a main metering roll, a companion roll disposed in closely spaced relation to the metering roll and a vibrating gate which forms a nip between the metering roller and the gate. The nip is arranged to retain a supply of the slurry, and the rolls are driven so slurry retained in the nip progresses over an upper outer peripheral surface of the metering roll to be deposited upon the web. Also, preferably included is a doctor blade disposed in operational relationship to the metering roll for directing the slurry downwardly from the outer metering roll surface to a point above the surface of a carrier for a fiberglass layer upon which the slurry layer is deposited. The vibrating gate and doctor blade may be pivotally mounted to either side of the surfaces of the head-box.

Abstract: A vibrating flexible smoothing sheet or shroud disposed transversely of a direction of travel of a formed fiber panel including gypsum-cementitious slurry and embedded chopped fibers. The sheet is used to smooth the surface of the panel as it exits a fiber embedment station of a structural cementitious panel production line to remove grooves and other non-uniform surface imperfections to reduce the need for costly finishing after the panels are cured and cut to size. The flexible sheet is designed to float over the surface of the formed panel without tearing or otherwise damaging the surface of the heavily fiber reinforced surface layers of the panel. The vibrating sheet is pivotally mounted on the side dams of the web production line so it can float over the panel surface during use, but be raised off the line when not in use.

Abstract: A process employing a wet mixer having a vertical mixing chamber for forming a wet slurry of a cementitious powder and liquid. The vertical mixing chamber is designed to provide the required amount of mixing to provide thoroughly mixed, uniformly thin slurry within a mixing residence time that allows for adequate supply of slurry to ensure continuous operation of an associated cement panel production line. Gravity feed for supply of cementitious powder and water to the slurry mixing area of the chamber is also disclosed.

Abstract: A wet mixer apparatus and method for its use, the mixer having a vertical mixing chamber for forming a wet slurry of a cementitious slurry and water. The vertical mixing chamber is designed to provide the required amount of mixing to provide thoroughly mixed, uniformly thin slurry within a mixing residence time that allows for adequate supply of slurry to ensure continuous operation of an associated cement panel production line. Gravity feeding for separate supply of cementitious powder and water to the slurry mixing area of the chamber without pre-mixing of the powder and water is also disclosed.

Abstract: An embedment device includes a first integrally formed elongate shaft rotatably secured to the support frame and having a first plurality of axially spaced disks axially fixed to the first shaft, a second integrally formed elongate shaft rotatably secured to the support frame and having a second plurality of axially spaced disks axially fixed to the second shaft, the first shaft being disposed relative to the second shaft to be horizontally aligned and so that the disks intermesh with each other, and wherein, when viewed from the side, peripheries of the first and second pluralities of disks overlap each other.

Abstract: A wet mixer apparatus and method for its use, the mixer having a vertical mixing chamber for forming a wet slurry of a cementitious slurry and water. The vertical mixing chamber is designed to provide the required amount of mixing to provide thoroughly mixed, uniformly thin slurry within a mixing residence time that allows for adequate supply of slurry to ensure continuous operation of an associated cement panel production line. Gravity feeding for separate supply of cementitious powder and water to the slurry mixing area of the chamber without pre-mixing of the powder and water is also disclosed.

Abstract: A vibrating flexible smoothing sheet or shroud disposed transversely of a direction of travel of a formed fiber panel including gypsum-cementitious slurry and embedded chopped fibers. The sheet is used to smooth the surface of the panel as it exits a fiber embedment station of a structural cementitious panel production line to remove grooves and other non-uniform surface imperfections to reduce the need for costly finishing after the panels are cured and cut to size. The flexible sheet is designed to float over the surface of the formed panel without tearing or otherwise damaging the surface of the heavily fiber reinforced surface layers of the panel. The vibrating sheet is pivotally mounted on the side dams of the web production line so it can float over the panel surface during use, but be raised off the line when not in use.

Abstract: A process employing a wet mixer having a vertical mixing chamber for forming a wet slurry of a cementitious powder and liquid. The vertical mixing chamber is designed to provide the required amount of mixing to provide thoroughly mixed, uniformly thin slurry within a mixing residence time that allows for adequate supply of slurry to ensure continuous operation of an associated cement panel production line. Gravity feed means for supply of cementitious powder and water to the slurry mixing area of the chamber is also disclosed.

Abstract: A head-box for depositing slurry upon a moving web including a main metering roll, a companion roll disposed in closely spaced relation to the metering roll and a vibrating gate which forms a nip between the metering roller and the gate. The nip is arranged to retain a supply of the slurry, and the rolls are driven so slurry retained in the nip progresses over an upper outer peripheral surface of the metering roll to be deposited upon the web. Also, preferably included is a doctor blade disposed in operational relationship to the metering roll for directing the slurry downwardly from the outer metering roll surface to a point above the surface of a carrier for a fiberglass layer upon which the slurry layer is deposited. The vibrating gate and doctor blade may be pivotally mounted to either side of the surfaces of the head-box.