Free-standing form for building a pre-insulated wall and method of building a structure therewith

Abstract

A free-standing, hollow, prefabricated concrete form for forming a lost form, pre-finished concrete wall having an insulating layer on at least one major surface, typically an outer, earth facing surface thereof. The inside of the form has a rough finished surface. The form provides metal studs, typically on conventional sixteen inch centers, thereby enhancing the strength of the wall. The form allows placement of conduits for wiring, either electrical power or so-called low voltage circuits (e.g., telephone, TV cable, network wiring, audio cables, etc.) within the wall. Water supply and drain lines may also be placed within the wall prior to filling the forms with concrete. Multiple prefabricated sections may be joined to one another end-to-end to fabricate longer walls.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall, comprising:
 a) a bottom and a top framework each having a length and a width, said length being greater than said width and defining a major axis therealong, said width being perpendicular to said major axis and defining a minor axis therealong;   b) a plurality of studs disposed between and attached to said bottom framework and to said top framework, said plurality of studs being disposed in a perpendicular relationship to a major plane defined by each of said top framework and said bottom framework, said studs being disposed along both a front edge and a rear edge parallel to said major axis of both of said bottom framework and said top framework, said studs being spaced apart from one another by a predetermined distance;   c) a plurality of spacers disposed between said studs, said spacers being disposed along said front edge of both said top framework and said bottom framework and a corresponding stud placed along an opposite one of said front edge and said rear edge of both said top framework and said bottom framework, said plurality of spacers each being parallel to said minor axis; and   d) a thin, planar material attached to a front face and a rear face of said free-standing hollow form, said front face and said rear face thereof each being defined by respective outfacing surfaces of said plurality of studs, a major plane of said thin, planar material being parallel to said major axis.   
     
     
         2 . The free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said top framework and said bottom framework comprise elements formed from metal, angle stock or track. 
     
     
         3 . The free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said elements comprise two parallel, spaced-apart long pieces of said angle stock defining said length connected to shorter pieces of said angle stock defining said width, said long pieces of said angle stock and said shorter pieces thereof being disposed normally to one another. 
     
     
         4 . The free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said long pieces of said angle stock are connected to said shorter pieces of said angle stock by fasteners comprising self tapping screws. 
     
     
         5 . The free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of studs each comprises a metallic stud having at least three sides disposed normally to an adjacent side. 
     
     
         6 . The free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall as recited in  claim 5 , wherein each of said plurality of studs is affixed to both said top framework and said bottom framework using at least one fastener comprising a self tapping screw. 
     
     
         7 . The free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of studs is spaced apart along a respective front edge and a back edge of each of said top framework and said bottom framework at a predetermined distance. 
     
     
         8 . The free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall as recited in  claim 7 , wherein said predetermined distance comprises a distance selected from the group: approximately 16 inches (0.4 m) and approximately 24 inches (0.6 m). 
     
     
         9 . The free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 e) a thin, planar material attached to at least one end of said free-standing hollow form, said thin, planar material being attached to an outfacing side surface of one of said plurality of studs at both a front edge and a respective back edge of said free-standing hollow form, said thin, planar material being parallel to said minor axis.   
     
     
         10 . The free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall as recited in  claim 9 , wherein at least a respective one of said thin, planar material attached to said front face, said rear face and said end of said free-standing, hollow form comprises an insulating material. 
     
     
         11 . The free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall as recited in  claim 9 , wherein at least a respective one of said thin, planar material attached to said front face, said rear face and said end of said free-standing, hollow form comprises a magnesium oxide board having a predetermined thickness. 
     
     
         12 . The free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said magnesium oxide board predetermined thickness is at least approximately 0.5 inch (0.013 m). 
     
     
         13 . The free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 f) at least one selected from the group: an electrical box, an electrical conduit, a supply pipe, and a drain line disposed within said free-standing, hollow form.   
     
     
         14 . The free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall as recited in  claim 9 , further comprising:
 f) an opening in said front face and said rear face to accommodate at least one selected from the group: a window, a door, and another opening.   
     
     
         15 . The free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said opening comprises framing elements disposed therearound. 
     
     
         16 . A method of connecting one free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall end-to-end to another one thereof, the steps comprising:
 a) fabricating two free-standing hollow forms as recited in  claim 1 ;   b) exposing an interior space within each of said two free-standing forms adjacent respective edges to be connected;   c) abutting said respective edges of said two free-standing forms;   d) securing said two free-standing forms to one another; and   e) covering said interior space to prepare said interior space to retain concrete poured thereinto.   
     
     
         17 . The method of connecting one free-standing, hollow form for a lost form, concrete-filled wall end-to-end to another one thereof as recited in  claim 16 , the steps further comprising:
 f) placing at least one selected from the group: an electrical conduit, a plumbing supply line, and a plumbing drain line into said interior space in at least one of said two free-standing forms; and   g) when required, connecting said electrical conduit, said plumbing supply line, and said plumbing drain line in a first of said two free-standing forms to a corresponding component in a second of said two free-standing forms proximate a matted edge between said first and said second one of said two free-standing forms.