Self-supporting concrete form

A self-supporting form for use in construction with cementitious materials, said form comprising:

• a generally regularly-shaped body of insulating material, said body including at least two opposing sidewalls each having exterior and interior sides with respect to said body, and said sidewalls mutually defining at least one cavity therebetween adapted for the receipt of cementitious materials;
• and
• securement means, operatively associated with said cavity and at least one of said sidewalls, adapted for enabling securement of cladding materials to the exterior side of said at least one sidewall with said securement being anchored in cementitious materials received in said cavity, whereby a desired finishing surface of selected cladding materials may be securely applied to a construction formed with a plurality of said forms and reinforced with cementitious materials received in the cavities thereof;
• wherein
• said sidewalls define a plurality of vertical cavities interconnectable by a horizontal beam of cementitious material whenever same is poured and cured between said sidewalls;
• said securement means comprises a plurality of rigid material members, one each extending between the exterior side of said at least one sidewall and a respective vertical cavity, whereby cladding materials attached to said rigid material members are securely anchored in cementitious material cured within said vertical cavities so that such anchoring is not diminished by any subsequent damage to said insulating material;
• and
• said vertical cavities comprise a plurality of parallel substantially cylindrical chambers defined by the multiple facing interior sides of said sidewalls.

A self-supporting, self-insulating form for pouring concrete therein and supporting finishing wall materials thereon, comprising:

• two opposing sidewalls of low density polymeric material, each sidewall having a substantially planar exterior side and matable edging members adapted for aligned engagement of adjacent like forms, said opposing sidewalls further mutually defining at least one cavity therebetween forming a void adapted for the receipt of concrete, with one of said sidewalls defining an opening therein interconnecting said cavity with the exterior side of said one sidewall;
• two spaced end walls generally transverse to said sidewalls and respectively interconnecting same;
• a finishing material attachment element received in said opening and extending into said cavity so as to be anchored therein by concrete subsequently poured and cured about said element and within said cavity, wherein said attachment element is adapted to receive a fastening element such as a nail or screw therein for fastening finishing wall materials such as wallboard or paneling to the exterior of a plurality of said forms adjacently engaged in aligned arrangement with concrete poured and cured in said cavities thereof, whereby an improved concrete-reinforced self-insulated finished wall may be provided;
• wherein
• said polymeric material comprises expanded polystyrene;
• and
• said attachment element comprises an integral metallic member including a pair of foldable wings for being selectively extended into said cavity for embeddment therein whenever concrete is poured and cured in said cavity, said integral metallic member further providing a fastening surface formed substantially flush with said planar exterior side of said at least one sidewall and adapted for fastening of finishing materials thereto.