Method and system for providing articles with rigid foamed cementitious cores

An apparatus for forming a rigid foamed cementitious core within a plurality of article shells comprising:

• a shell bank for retaining a plurality of article shells and comprising a sled and a plurality of reinforcement shells having shell edges and shell surfaces, each article shell having a generally planar construction and a generally uniform thickness with marginal edges and having first and second article skins helping to define an interior cavity, the sled having a sled surface sized to support at least one marginal edge of each article shell and at least one shell edge of each reinforcement shell, each article shell and reinforcement shell being placed on the shell bank such that two reinforcement shells are adjacent to each article shell;
• a filling station comprising a filling nozzle for delivering a gas-entrained cementitious material to the interior cavity of each article shell;
• a pump for pumping the gas-entrained cementitious material through the filling nozzle and into the interior cavity of each article shell;
• and
• an at least one vacuum line for providing suction between at least one article skin and at least one reinforcement shell surface so that the at least one article shell retains its pre-curing during curing,
• whereby the gas-entrained cementitious material cures to form a rigid foamed cementitious core within each article shell in the plurality of article shells.

An apparatus for forming a rigid foamed cementitious core within a plurality of article shells comprising:

• a shell bank for retaining a plurality of article shells and comprising a sled and a plurality of spaced apart and reinforced open mouthed cavities having shell edges, each reinforced cavity suitable for housing and reinforcing at least one article shell, each article shell having a generally planar construction and a generally uniform thickness with marginal edges and first and second article skins helping to define an interior cavity, the sled having a sled surface sized to support at least one shell edge of each reinforcement shell, each reinforcement shell being placed spaced apart on the shell bank;
• and
• a filling station comprising a filling nozzle for delivering a gas-entrained cementitious material to the interior cavity of each article shell,
• a pump for pumping the gas-entrained cementitious material through the filling nozzle and into the interior cavity of each door shell,
• whereby the gas-entrained cementitious material cures to form a rigid foamed cementitious core within each article shell in the plurality of article shells.