Building foundation form with integral drain

Abstract

A form for use with hardenable, flowable material such as concrete, wherein the form is flexible along a first axis and rigid along a second axis. The form may further include perforations in one side of the form such that when the form is left in place the form acts as a drain.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . Apparatus comprising: 
 a form for use with a hardenable, flowable material, wherein said form is formable about a first axis of rotation when rotated in a first direction, but rigid when rotated in a second direction.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said first axis is a vertical axis and said form further comprises a second axis wherein said second axis is a longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said form includes at least one flow channel for drainage.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the flow channel is longitudinal.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the form includes a front wall and a back wall and a plurality of said flow channel positioned therebetween.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said front wall includes a plurality of perforations.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said front wall includes a plurality of cuts.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the perforations are transverse to the flow channels.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the cuts are transverse to the flow channels.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a porous material surrounding said form.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising a porous material surrounding said form and a spacer positioned between said perforations and said porous material.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a porous material surrounding said form and a spacer positioned between said cuts and said porous material.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising a porous material surrounding said form and a spacer and a filter positioned between said perforations and said porous material.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising a porous material surrounding said form and a spacer and a filter positioned between said cuts and said porous material.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said form further comprises a portion of a corrugated pipe operatively attached to a panel.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said corrugated pipe is slidably attached to a panel.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the corrugated pipe is slidably attached to each end of the panel.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the corrugated pipe is slidable attached to slots on said panel.  
     
     
         19 . A method comprising: 
 providing a form which is flexible along a first axis and rigid along a second axis;    shaping said form about said first axis; and    pouring flowable, hardenable material within said form.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the step of shaping further comprises: 
 bending the form about a corner, wherein said form is a unitary piece.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the steps of: 
 providing a plurality of forms; and    positioning the plurality of forms in a spaced apart manner with form spacers.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising: 
 joining a plurality of said forms together.    
     
     
         23 . A method of fabricating a form for use with hardenable, flowable material, said form being flexible along a first axis and rigid along a second axis, comprising: 
 extruding an extrusion extending along said first axis, said extrusion having a top wall, a bottom wall, a front wall and a back wall and containing at least one longitudinal flow channel;    cutting the extrusion to a predetermined length; and    forming perforations transverse to said first axis in said top wall, said bottom wall and said front wall.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 24  wherein said extrusion further contains at least one web formed between inner surfaces of said front wall and said back wall and the step of forming perforations further includes forming perforations in said web the perforation in said web aligned with the perforations formed in said top wall, said bottom wall and said front wall.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said perforations are slits and the step of forming perforations includes cutting said slits with a knife.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein said perforations are slots or shaped grooves and the step of forming perforations includes cutting said slots with a saw or cutting said shaped grooves with a shaped cutter.  
     
     
         27 . A system comprising: 
 a plurality of forms, operatively attached together, for use with hardenable, flowable material, wherein at least one of said forms is flexible along a first axis and rigid along a second axis.    
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the forms are slidably attached together.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the forms are clipped together.  
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein said form further comprises a portion of a corrugated pipe operatively attached to a panel.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the forms are slidably attached together.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the forms are clipped together.  
     
     
         33 . Apparatus comprising: 
 a plurality of spaced apart forms for receiving a flowable hardenable material; and    a spacer, wherein the spacer is adhered to the forms by an adhesive.    
     
     
         34 . Apparatus comprising: 
 a form for use with hardenable, flowable material, wherein said form is flexible along a first axis and rigid along a second axis.