Abstract:
An extendable clothes hanger comprising a hook portion, opposed rigid side arms and opposed extension sleeves that are slidably mounted to the side arms and are movable between selected an extended mode and several selected extended modes. The extension sleeves can be selectively locked either at the unextended or extended modes wherein the extension sleeves are locked by pins relative to the side arms and can be unlocked so that the first and second sleeves are movable relative to the side arms. One embodiment includes solid rectangular arms and hollow rectangular sleeves and another embodiment includes a cylindrical arms enclosed by cylindrical sleeves. Bracing pins can be optionally included to activate when the sleeves are in their fully extended modes.

Description:
PRIOR FILING  
       [0001]     Provisional application No.60/506866 relating to this application was filed on Sep. 30, 2003, entitled The X-tend-able Hanger. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to clothes hangers and in particular to hangers used in women&#39;s clothing particularly in the fashion industry with the invention also being usable for men&#39;s clothing.  
         [0004]     2. Prior Art  
         [0005]     Women&#39;s clothing in the fashion industry has a wide variation of dress and coat designs from narrow shoulders to very wide shoulders. In order to avoid wrinkling or folds or deformities it is advantageous that the hangers can be adjusted.  
         [0006]     Prior art patents that disclose adjustable clothes hangers include the following:  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,905,877 issued to Gatling on Mar. 6, 1990, describes an adjustable hanger having a pair of opposed biasable arms having upper and lower segments and a pair of sleeves slidable about the arms when the arms are in a spring biased mode and being held in an affixed positions when the arms are in a spring biased mode. Each sleeve has a plurality of spaced stop receiving means for receiving an arm stop means when the arms are in a spring biased mode. Each of the stop receiving means for both arms is located in the bottom segments of the arms. Support blocks are mounted beneath and adjacent to the top segments to limit movement of the arms away from the centerline of the hanger.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,199 issued to Halverson et al. on Dec. 19, 1995, discloses an extendable clothes hanger with left and right side arms and left and right extension arms positioned above the left and right side arms. Left and right side arm gripping means removably and slidably couple the right and left extension arms to the left and right side arms so as to adjust the lateral extent of the hanger.  
         [0009]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,174 issued to Kandl on Jan. 30, 2001, discloses an adjustable hanger comprising a V-shaped hanger with a hook portion and two angled shafts connected to the hook portion and a pair of V-shaped connectors and an engagement tube with the two angled shafts being slidably and frictionally engagable with the two angled shafts and the engagement tube. An alternate embodiment comprises a three-piece hanger that eliminates the separate engagement tube of the preferred embodiment.  
         [0010]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,970,385 issued to See on Nov. 2, 1999, discloses an adjustable clothes hanger that includes a rotatable hook that operates a rack and pinion that extends and retracts in accordance with the rotation of the hook.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable clothes hanger that is directed to the fashion industry and that can be quickly and easily adjusted to provide support to women&#39;s coats and dresses and also to men&#39;s coats over a wide variation of sizes and designs.  
         [0012]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a clothes hanger that can be quickly and easily selectively adjusted so as to widen or shorten the side support arms of the hanger.  
         [0013]     It yet another object of the present invention to provide a clothes hanger that can be adjusted by sliding an extension sleeve along each opposed side arm and then locking each extension sleeve at a selected distance from the hook portion of the hanger.  
         [0014]     The present invention provides an extendable clothes hanger comprising a hook portion, opposed rigid side arms and opposed extension sleeves that are slidably mounted to the side arms and are movable between sleeve unextended modes and sleeve extended modes. The extension sleeves can be selectively locked either at the unextended or extended modes wherein the extension sleeves are immovable relative to the side arms and can be unlocked so that the first and second sleeves are movable relative to the side arms. A locking pin transverse to each side arm is mounted to the bottom side of each side arm. Each extension sleeve includes an extension sleeve bottom side that defines one inward aperture and at least one outward aperture with the inward aperture being associated with each sleeve unextended mode and the outward aperture being associated with each sleeve extended mode. The locking pins are selectively positioned in the inward apertures or the outward apertures so as to removably engage the side arms with the extension sleeves. Each extension sleeve further defines a plurality of intermediate locking apertures between the inward aperture and the outward aperture and each locking pin can be selectively positioned in any of the plurality of locking apertures. Each locking pin includes an expansion spring movable between spring biased and unbiased modes wherein in the spring biased mode the locking pin is withdrawn from the locking apertures of the extension sleeves and in the spring unbiased mode each locking pin is positioned in the locking apertures of the extension sleeves so as to engage the extension sleeves from lateral movement relative to the side arms. In addition, each top side of each side arm has a bracing pin that can be moved between a spring biased mode and a spring unbiased mode and when each extension sleeve is positioned in the fully extended mode each bracing pin is spring biased through a bracing pin aperture defined in the top side of each extension sleeve so that each bracing pin provides additional stability to each extension sleeve.  
         [0015]     Another embodiment of the present invention includes a first cylindrical rigid side arm and a first extension sleeve is a first cylindrical extension sleeve slidably positioned around the first cylindrical side arm, and wherein the second rigid side arm is a second cylindrical rigid side arm and the second extension sleeve is a second cylindrical extension sleeve slidably positioned around the second cylindrical side arm.  
         [0016]     The present invention will be better understood and the objects and important features, other than those specifically set forth above, will become apparent when consideration is given to the following details and description, which when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, describes, illustrates, and shows preferred embodiments or modifications of the present invention and what is presently considered and believed to be the best mode of practice in the principles thereof. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0017]      FIG. 1A  is a front elevation view of a clothes hanger in accordance with the present invention showing left and right side arms and left and right extension sleeves in an unextended mode;  
         [0018]      FIG. 1B  is a front elevation view of the hanger shown in  FIG. 1A  showing the left and right extension sleeves extending from the left and right side arms in a first extended mode;  
         [0019]      FIG. 1C  shows a front elevation view of the invention showing the left and right extension sleeves extending from the left and right side arms in a second extended mode;  
         [0020]      FIG. 1D  shows a front elevation view of the invention showing the left and right extension sleeves extending from the left and right side arms in a third extended mode;  
         [0021]      FIG. 1E  shows a front elevation view of the invention showing the left and right extension sleeves extending from the left and right side arms in a fully extended mode;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2A  shows a view taken through line  2 A- 2 A of  FIG. 1A ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 2B  shows a view taken through line  2 B- 2 B of  FIG. 1A ;  
         [0024]      FIG. 3A  shows a left side view taken through line  3 A- 3 A of  FIG. 1E ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 3B  shows a view taken through line  3 B- 3 B of  FIG. 1E ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  shows a front elevation isolation view of the unitary hook portion and left and right side arms shown  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 5A  shows a top view taken through line  5 B- 5 B of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 5B  shows a top view of  FIG. 5  taken through line  5 B- 5 B;  
         [0029]      FIG. 6A  shows an isolation front elevation view of the left extension sleeve of the hanger shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0030]      FIG. 6B  shows an isolation front elevation view of the right extension sleeve of the hanger shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 7A  shows a top view of  FIG. 6A  taken through line  7 A- 7 A;  
         [0032]      FIG. 7B  shows a bottom view of  FIG. 6A  taken through line  7 B- 7 B;  
         [0033]      FIG. 8A  shows a top view of  FIG. 6B  taken through line  8 A- 8 A;  
         [0034]      FIG. 8B  shows a bottom view of  FIG. 6B  taken through line  8 B- 8 B;  
         [0035]      FIG. 9  is an isolated detailed side view of the left side arm and the left extension sleeve of the view shown in  FIG. 1E ;  
         [0036]      FIG. 10  is a sectional view of the locking pin in the spring unbiased locked mode taken through line  10 - 10  in  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0037]      FIG. 10A  is a view analogous to the view shown in  FIG. 10  with the locking pin shown in the spring biased unlocked mode;  
         [0038]      FIG. 11  is a sectional view of the bracing pin in the spring unbiased locked mode taken through line  11 - 11  in  FIG. 9 ;  
         [0039]      FIG. 11A  is a view analogous to the view shown in  FIG. 11  with the bracing pin shown in the biased unlocked mode;  
         [0040]      FIG. 12  is a front elevation view of the another embodiment of the clothes hanger in accordance with the present invention showing cylindrical left and right side arms and cylindrical left and right extension sleeves in an unextended mode;  
         [0041]      FIG. 13  is a front elevation view of the invention analogous to the embodiment of  FIG. 12  showing the left and right cylindrical extension sleeves extending from the cylindrical left and right side arms in a fully extended mode;  
         [0042]      FIG. 14A  is a cross-sectional view of the cylindrical left side arm and cylindrical right side arm extension sleeve and locking pin taken through line  14 A- 14 A in  FIG. 13 ;  
         [0043]      FIG. 14B  is a cross-sectional view of the cylindrical right side arm and cylindrical right side arm extension sleeve and bracing pin taken through line  14 B- 14 B in  FIG. 13   
         [0044]      FIG. 15A  is a broken side view taken in isolation of the left extension sleeve shown in  FIG. 12  showing the cylindrical space formed by the left sleeve;  
         [0045]      FIG. 15B  is a broken side view taken in isolation of the right extension sleeve shown in  FIG. 12  showing the cylindrical space formed by the right sleeve;  
         [0046]      FIG. 16A  is a top view of the left side cylindrical extension sleeve shown in  FIG. 15A ;  
         [0047]      FIG. 16B  is a top view of the right side cylindrical extension sleeve shown in  FIG. 15B ;  
         [0048]      FIG. 17A  is a bottom view of the left side cylindrical extension sleeve shown in  FIG. 15A ;  
         [0049]      FIG. 17B  is a bottom view of the right side cylindrical extension sleeve shown in  FIG. 15B ;  
         [0050]      FIG. 18  is a sectional view of a locking pin in a locked mode with the spring in an unbiased mode taken lateral to and aligned with the centerline of the side arm and sleeve in  FIG. 12 ;  
         [0051]      FIG. 19  is a sectional view of the locking pin shown in  FIG. 18  with the locking pin in an unlocked mode with the spring in a biased mode;  
         [0052]      FIG. 20  is a sectional view of a bracing pin in a locked mode with the spring in an unbiased mode taken lateral to and aligned with the centerline of the side arm and sleeve in  FIG. 12 ; and  
         [0053]      FIG. 21  is a sectional view of the bracing pin shown in  FIG. 20  with the locking pin in an unlocked mode with the spring in a biased mode; 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0054]     Reference is now made to the drawings in which identical or similar parts are designated by the same reference numerals throughout.  
         [0055]     As shown in  FIGS. 1A-1E  an extendable clothes hanger  10  includes a hook portion  12  and a linear side arm  14 A and an opposed linear side arm  14 B that are both connected to hook portion  12 . A linear extension sleeve  16 A slidably mounted to side arm  14 A is movable between an inward unextended mode as shown in  FIG. 1A  and an outward fully extended mode as shown in  FIG. 1E . Another linear extension sleeve  16 B slidably mounted to side arm  14 B is movable between an inward unextended mode as shown in  FIG. 1A  and an outward fully extended mode as shown in  FIG. 1E . Linear side arms  14 A and  14 B are shown slightly angled downwardly relative to the horizontal in a manner that is known in the art.  
         [0056]     Hook portion  12  and side arms  14 A and  14 B are shown in isolated views in  FIGS. 4, 5A  and  5 B. Side arm  14 A has an outer end  18 A and a side arm top side  20 A and a side arm bottom side  22 A, and side arm  14 B has an outer end  18 B and a side arm top side  20 B and a side arm bottom side  22 B.  
         [0057]      FIGS. 4 and 5 A show a locking pin  24 A that is mounted to bottom side  22 A of side arm  14 A proximate to side arm outer end  18 A. Locking pin  24 A is shown as rectangular but is can be cylindrical. Isolated views of locking pin  24 A are shown in  FIGS. 9, 10  and  10 A, which correlates with  FIGS. 2A, 2B ,  3 A, and  3 B. Locking pin  24 A is transverse to side arm  14 A and is movable between a spring biased mode and a spring unbiased mode, wherein in the spring biased mode locking pin  24 A is distanced from side arm bottom side  22 A in the manner shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10  and wherein in the spring biased mode locking pin  24 A is withdrawn from side arm bottom side  22 A as shown in  FIG. 10A .  FIGS. 4 and 5 B also show a locking pin  24 B that is mounted to bottom side  22 B of side arm  14 B proximate to side arm outer end  18 B. Isolated views of locking pin  24 B are shown in  FIGS. 9, 10  and  10 A. In the same manner as locking pin  24 A, locking pin  24 B is transverse to side arm  14 B and is movable between a spring mode and a spring unbiased mode, wherein in the spring unbiased mode locking pin  24 B is distanced from side arm bottom side  22 B in the manner shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10  and wherein in the spring biased mode locking pin  24 B is withdrawn from side arm bottom side  22 B as shown in  FIG. 10A .  
         [0058]     In  FIGS. 4, 5A  and  5 B in the isolated view of hook portion  12  with side arms  14 A and  14 B, locking pins  24 A and  24 B are in the spring unbiased mode. When extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B are mounted to side arms  14 A and  14 B, locking pins  24 A and  24 B are in the spring biased mode after being pressed manually inwardly relative to side arm bottom sides  22 A and  22 B during the manual operation of sliding extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B relative to side arms  14 A and  14 B during the movements shown relative to  FIGS. 1A-1E  as can be seen n  FIG. 10A .  
         [0059]     As seen in  FIG. 2A , side arm  14 A has opposed sides  37 A and  37 B that are connected with opposed top and bottom sides  20 A and  22 A so that side arm  14  is an elongated rectangle. Opposed sides  37 A and  37 B are greater in dimension than top and bottom sides  20 A and  22 A.  
         [0060]     Extension sleeve  16 A has opposed side walls  40 A and  40 B and with opposed top and bottom wall  26 A and bottom wall  28  forms an elongated rectangular compartment A ( FIG. 6A ) within which side arm  14 A is slidably mounted.  
         [0061]     Extension sleeve  16 A has opposed side walls  40 A and  40 B and with opposed top and bottom wall  26 A and bottom wall  28  forms an elongated rectangular compartment  42 B ( FIG. 6A ) within which side arm  14 B is slidably mounted.  
         [0062]     As seen in  FIG. 2B , side arm  14 B has opposed sides  38 A and  38 B that are connected with opposed top and bottom sides  20 B and  22 B so that side arm  14 B is an elongated rectangle. Opposed sides  38 A and  38 B are greater in dimension than top and bottom sides  20 B and  22 B.  
         [0063]     Extension sleeve  16 B has opposed side walls  48 A and  48 B and opposed top wall and bottom walls  50 A and  50 B, respectively. Side walls  48 A and  48 B and top and bottom walls  50 A and  50 B define an elongated rectangular compartment  44 B ( FIG. 6B ) in which side arms  14 A and  14 B are slidably mounted.  
         [0064]      FIGS. 6A and 6B ,  FIGS. 7A and 7B , and  FIGS. 8A and 8B  show elongated extension sleeve  16 A and elongated extension sleeve  16 B having outer ends  29 A and  29 B, respectively. Bottom wall  28 A of extension sleeve  16 A defines rectangular equally spaced sleeve locking apertures  30 A,  30 B,  30 C,  30 D and outermost sleeve locking aperture  30 E proximate to side arm outer end  18 A. Bottom wall  28 B of extension sleeve  16 B defines rectangular innermost sleeve equally spaced sleeve locking apertures  32 A,  32 B,  32 C,  32 D and outermost sleeve locking aperture  32 E proximate to side arm outer end  18 B.  
         [0065]     Innermost sleeve locking aperture  30 A of extension sleeve  16 A is associated with the unextended mode of extension sleeve  16 A as seen in  FIG. 1A  wherein locking pin  24 A is positioned in a spring unbiased locked mode in innermost sleeve locking aperture  30 A. Locking pin  24 A is positioned in spring unbiased modes in succeeding sleeve locking apertures  30 B,  30 C,  30 D and outermost sleeve locking aperture  30 E as shown in  FIGS. 1B, 1C ,  1 D and  1 E, respectively. In the spring biased mode, locking pin  24 A is withdrawn from side arm  14 A bottom side  22 A and in the spring unbiased mode locking pin  24 A is extended past side arm bottom side  22 A so as to enter any of the selected sleeve locking apertures  30 A-E. Thus, extension sleeve  16 A is selectively extendable between a selective innermost mode as seen in  FIG. 1A  and a selective outermost mode as seen in  FIG. 1E  with three selective intermediate extension modes of side arm  14 A as shown in  FIGS. 1B, 1C  and  1 D, respectively. (See  FIG. 10A .)  
         [0066]     In the unextended modes of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 A as shown in  FIG. 1A  and with reference to  FIGS. 6A and 6B , outer ends  29 A and  29 B of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B are located in alignment with outer ends  18 A and  18 B of side arms  14 A and  14 B. In these unextended modes the lengths of the linear configurations of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B are generally the same as the lengths of the linear configurations of side arms  14 A and  14 B. In each of the intermediate extended positions of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B as shown in  FIGS. 1B, 1C  and  1 D, outer ends  29 A and  29 B of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B are located at proportionately further distances from outer ends  18 A and  18 B of side arms  14 A and  14 B. In the fully extended modes of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B as shown in  FIG. 1E , outer ends  29 A and  29 B of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B are located at their greatest distances from outer ends  18 A and  18 B of side arms  14 A and  14 B.  
         [0067]     Innermost sleeve locking aperture  32 A of extension sleeve  16 B is associated with the unextended mode of extension sleeve  16 B as seen in  FIG. 1A  wherein locking pin  24 B is positioned in a spring unbiased locked mode in innermost sleeve locking aperture  32 A. Locking pin  24 B is positioned in a spring biased mode in succeeding intermediate sleeve locking apertures  32 B,  32 C,  32 D and in outermost sleeve locking aperture  32 E as shown in  FIGS. 1B, 1C ,  1 D and  1 E, respectively. In the spring biased mode, locking pin  24 B is withdrawn from side arm  14 B bottom side  22 B and in the biased mode locking pin  24 B is extended past side arm bottom side  22 B so as to enter any of the selected sleeve locking apertures  32 A-E. Thus, extension sleeve  26 B is selectively extendable between a selective innermost mode as seen in  FIG. 1A  and a selective outermost mode as seen in  FIG. 1E  with three selective intermediate extension modes of side arm  14 B as shown in  FIGS. 1B, 1C  and  1 D, respectively. (See  FIG. 10A .)  
         [0068]     Locking pin  24 A is positioned in a selected one of extension sleeve locking apertures  30 A-E in the spring unbiased mode wherein extension sleeve  16 A is locked in accordance with the selected one of locking apertures  30 A-E. Likewise locking pin  24 B is positioned in a selected one of extension sleeve locking apertures  32 A-E in the spring unbiased mode wherein extension sleeve  16 B is locked in accordance with the selected one of locking apertures  32 A-E.  
         [0069]     Locking pins  24 A and  24 B are secured to top side  20 A of side arm  14 A and top side  20 B of side arm  14 B, respectively, at a short distance from outer ends  18 A and  18 B of side arms  14 A and  14 B respectively.  FIGS. 9 and 10  indicate locking pins  24 A and  24 B located at locking apertures  30 A-E and also locking apertures  32 A-E. Locking pins  24 A and  24 B are movable between a spring unbiased mode as shown in  FIG. 10  and a spring biased mode as shown in  FIG. 10A . In the spring biased mode locking pins  24 A and  24 B are withdrawn ( FIG. 10A ) from bottom sides  22 A and  22 B of side arms  14 A and  14 B, respectively, and in the spring unbiased mode locking pins  24 A and  24 B are distanced ( FIG. 10 ) from side wall bottom sides  22 A and  22 B, respectively.  
         [0070]     As seen in  FIGS. 1E, 3A ,  3 B,  4 ,  5 B,  7 A,  9 ,  11  and  11 A, a restraining, or bracing pin  34 A is mounted to top wall  26 A of side arm  14 A, and a restraining, or bracing pin  34 B is mounted to top wall  20 B of side arm  14 B. Top wall  26 A of extension sleeve  16 A defines a bracing pin aperture  36 A proximate to sleeve outer end  29 A, and top wall  26 B of extension sleeve  16 B defines a bracing pin aperture  36 B proximate to sleeve outer end  29 B. Bracing pins  43 A and  34 B are shown as rectangular but can be cylindrical.  
         [0071]     Isolated views of bracing pin  34 A are shown in  FIGS. 11 and 11 A. Bracing pin  34 A is movable between a spring biased mode and a spring unbiased mode, wherein in the spring unbiased mode bracing pin  34 A is positioned in bracing pin aperture  36 A, which is located proximate to outer end  18 A of extension sleeve  16 A. In the spring unbiased mode bracing pin  34 A is distanced from top side  20 A of side arm  14 A in the manner shown in  FIGS. 9 and 11  and wherein in the spring biased mode bracing pin  34 A is withdrawn from side arm top side  20 A as shown in  FIG. 11A . Bracing pin  34 A is retained in the withdrawn mode as seen in FIGS.  1 A-D by top wall  26 A of extension sleeve  16 A, against which bracing pin  34 A is positioned by the spring biased mode of operation shown in  FIG. 11A . Bracing pin  34 A is positioned in top side bracing pin aperture  36 A in association with locking pin  24 A being positioned in bottom side locking aperture  30 E in the fully extended mode of extension sleeve  16 A. Manual pressure against both locking pin  24 A and bracing pin  34 A results in the movement of both locking pin  34 A from locking aperture  30 E and also from engagement with extension sleeve  16 A and bracing pin  34 A from bracing pin aperture  36 A thus freeing extension sleeve  16 A from restraint and allowing the user to manually slide extension sleeve  16 A along side arm  14 A to a selected new position at any one of sleeve bottom side apertures  30 D,  30 C,  30 B and  30 A.  
         [0072]     Isolated views of bracing pin  34 B are indicated in  FIGS. 9, 11  and  1 A. Bracing pin  34 B is movable between a spring unbiased mode and a spring biased mode, wherein in the spring biased mode bracing pin  34 B is positioned in bracing pin aperture  36 B, which is located proximate to outer end  18 B of extension sleeve  16 B. In the spring unbiased mode bracing pin  34 B is distanced from top side  20 B of side arm  14 B in the manner shown in  FIGS. 9 and 11  and wherein in the spring biased mode bracing pin  34 B is withdrawn from side arm top side  20 B as shown in  FIG. 11A . Bracing pin  34 B is retained in the withdrawn mode as seen in FIGS.  1 A-D by the wall of extension sleeve  16 B, against which bracing pin  34 B is positioned by the spring biased mode of operation shown in  FIG. 11A . Bracing pin  34 B is positioned in top side bracing pin aperture  36 B in association with locking pin  24 B being positioned in bottom side locking aperture  32 E in the fully extended mode of extension sleeve  16 B. Manual pressure against both locking pin  24 B and bracing pin  34 B results in the movement of both locking pin  34 B from locking aperture  32 E and also from engagement with extension sleeve  16 B and bracing pin  34 B from bracing pin aperture  36 B thus freeing extension sleeve  16 B from restraint and allowing the user to manually slide extension sleeve  16 B along side arm  14 B to a selected new position at any one of sleeve bottom side apertures  32 A-D.  
         [0073]     In the unextended modes of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B as shown in FIG.  1 A, outer ends  29 A and  29 B of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B are located in general alignment with outer ends  18 A and  18 B of side arms  14 A and  14 B wherein in these unextended modes the lengths of the linear configurations of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B are generally the same as the lengths of the linear configurations of side arms  14 A and  14 B. In each of the intermediate extended positions of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B as shown in  FIGS. 1B, 1C  and  1 D, outer ends  29 A and  29 B of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B are located at proportionately further distances from outer ends  18 A and  18 B of side arms  14 A and  14 B. In the fully extended modes of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B as shown in  FIG. 1E , outer ends  29 A and  29 B of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B are located at their greatest distances from outer ends  18 A and  18 B of side arms  14 A and  14 B.  
         [0074]     Locking pin  24 A can be positioned in a selected one of extension sleeve locking apertures  30 A-E in the spring unbiased mode wherein extension sleeve  16 B is locked in accordance with the selected one of locking apertures  32 A-E. Manual movement of locking pin  24 A away from extension sleeve  16 A releases locking pin  24 A from engagement with extension sleeve  16 A thus allowing extension sleeve  16 A to be manually moved relative to side arm  14 A.  
         [0075]     Likewise, locking pin  24 B can be positioned in a selected one of extension sleeve locking apertures  32 A-E in the spring unbiased mode wherein extension sleeve  16 B is locked in accordance with the selected one of locking apertures  32 A-E. Manual movement of locking pin  24 B away from extension sleeve  16 B releases locking pin  24 B from engagement with extension sleeve  16 B thus allowing extension sleeve  16 B to be manually moved relative to side arm  14 B.  
         [0076]     Extension sleeve  16 A can be moved by being slid relative to side arm  14 A only in the event that both locking pin  24 A and bracing pin  36 A have been moved by manual operation to the spring biased mode so that both are held in the spring biased mode by top and bottom walls  42 A and  42 B of extension sleeve  14 A. Likewise, extension sleeve  16 B can be moved by being slid relative to side arm  14 B only in the event that both locking pin  24 B and bracing pin  36 B have been moved by manual operation to the spring biased mode so that both are held in the spring biased mode by top and bottom walls  50 A and  50 B, respectively, of extension sleeve  14 B  FIG. 9  and  FIGS. 10 and 10 A indicates side arm locking pins  24 A mounted to bottom side  22 A of side arms  14 A spaced from outer end  18 A of side arms  14 A. Locking pins  24 A includes button  46 A. Button  46 A is transversely oriented relative to bottom side  22 A of side arm  14 A and likewise is transversely oriented relative to bottom walls  28 A of extension sleeve  16 A. Each locking pin  24 A includes side arm  14 A defining a holding chamber  48  comprising an inner cylindrical chamber  50  and an axially aligned outer cylindrical chamber  52 . Inner cylindrical chamber  50  is dimensioned in diameter and length to accommodate the diameter and length of a helical compression spring  56  positioned therein in the fully biased mode and to accommodate the inner portion of spring  56  in the unbiased mode. Outer cylindrical chamber  52  is greater in diameter than inner cylindrical chamber  50 . Locking pins  24 A includes locking pin button hole  54 A defined by bottom side  22 A of side arm  14 A that accommodates locking pin button  46 A in the unbiased mode. Button hole  54  open to each outer cylindrical chamber  52 .  
         [0077]     A helical compression spring  56  is positioned in each inner cylindrical chamber  50  in the spring biased mode and is positioned in both inner and outer cylindrical chambers  50  and  52  in the spring unbiased mode.  
         [0078]     Each spring  56  is generally of the same length as each inner cylindrical chamber  50  in the spring biased mode and generally of the combined lengths of inner and outer cylindrical chambers  50  and  52  in the unbiased mode. Locking pin  24 A, namely button  46  is axially movable in outer cylindrical chamber  52 . Button  46  includes a button inner end  60  and a button outer end  60 . Button  46  includes a circular stop rim  62 , which can be a flexible washer snap-mounted to a groove in buttons  46 A and  46 B in a manner known in the art.  
         [0079]     A circular inward stop ledge  64  is located at the meeting of inner cylindrical chamber  50  and outer cylindrical chamber  52 . A button stop rim  62  meets stop ledge  64  in the spring biased mode of spring  56 . Side arm  14 A defines a button hole  66  where button  46  is positioned at all times. Button hole  66  opens to outer chamber  52  and t 0  aperture  30 E. In the unbiased mode of spring  56  button hole  66  prevents button from further outward movement as shown in  FIG. 10 . Spring  56  is moved from the spring unbiased mode shown in  FIG. 10  to the spring biased mode shown in  FIG. 10A  by manual pressure against locking pins  24 A and  24 B.  
         [0080]     During the spring biased mode of spring  56  shown in  FIG. 10A , locking pin  24  is maintained in the spring biased mode by sliding or lateral movement of extension sleeves  16  relative to side arms  14 A wherein sleeve bottom wall  28 A is positioned across pin aperture  36 A wherein outward movement of locking pin  24 A that might otherwise occur by outward pressure caused by spring  56  is blocked.  
         [0081]     During the biased mode of spring  56  shown in  FIG. 10 , locking pins  24 A is maintained in the biased mode after sliding or lateral movement of extension sleeve  16 A relative to side arm  14 A. At such time bottom wall  28 A of extension sleeves  16 A is so positioned wherein when any of selected bottom side locking apertures  30 A-E or  32 A-E is in alignment with locking pin  24 A, spring  56  biases so as to push button  46  through the aligned one of extension sleeve apertures  30 A-E and beyond bottom wall  28 A of extension sleeve  16 A. Subsequently, locking pin  24 A can be moved by manual operation from the unbiased mode of spring  56  to the spring biased mode of spring  56  as shown in  FIG. 10A . The description of locking pin  34 A above applies as well to locking pin  34 B mutatis mutandis.  
         [0082]      FIGS. 11 and 11 A generally indicate bracing pin  34 A mounted to top side  20 A of side arm spaced at a short distance from outer end  18 A of side arm  14 A so that locking pin  24 A is horizontally offset in the fully extended mode of sleeve  16 A. Bracing pin  34 A includes bracing pin button  68 . Bracing pin button  68  is transversely aligned relative to top side  20 A of side arm  14 A and likewise is transversely aligned with top wall  26 A of extension sleeve  16 A. As indicated in  FIGS. 11 and 11 A, bracing pin  34 A includes each side arm  14 A defining a holding chamber  70  comprising an inner cylindrical chamber  72  and an axially aligned outer cylindrical chamber  74 . Outer cylindrical chamber  74  is greater in diameter than inner cylindrical chamber  72 . Inner cylindrical chamber  72  is dimensioned in diameter and length to accommodate the diameter and length of a helical compression spring  76  positioned therein in the fully biased mode and to accommodate the inner portion of spring  76  in the unbiased mode. Bracing pin  34 A includes bracing pin button hole  75  defined by side arm  14 A that accommodates button  68 A in all modes. Button hole  75  opens to each outer cylindrical chamber  74 .  
         [0083]     Each spring  76  is generally of the same length as each inner cylindrical chamber  72  in the spring biased mode and generally of the combined lengths of inner and outer cylindrical chambers  72  and  74  in the spring unbiased mode. Button  68  is axially movable in outer cylindrical chamber  74 . Button  68  includes a button inner end  80  and a button outer end  80 . Each button inner end  80  includes a circular stop rim  82 .  
         [0084]     A circular inward stop ledge  84  that is located between inner cylindrical chamber  72  and outer cylindrical chamber  74  meets button inward end stop rim  82  in the spring biased mode of spring  76 . Bracing pin aperture  36 A opens to outer chamber  74  at bracing pin button holes  75  wherein top wall  20 A of side arm  18 A at aperture  36 A prevents bracing pin  34 A from further outward movement as shown in  FIG. 11 . Spring  76  is moved from the unbiased mode shown in  FIG. 11  to the spring biased mode shown in  FIG. 11A  by manual pressure against buttons  68 A.  
         [0085]     During the spring biased mode of spring  76  shown in  FIG. 11A , bracing pin  34 A is maintained in the spring biased mode during sliding or lateral movement of extension sleeve  16 A relative to side arm  14 A wherein sleeve  16 A is positioned across restraining pin button holes  75  which block outward movement of button  68  that might otherwise occur by outward biasing pressure caused by spring  76 . The description above relating to bracing pin  34 A applies as well to bracing pin  34 B mutatis mutandis.  
         [0086]     As shown in  FIGS. 12, 13 ,  14 A,  14 B,  15 A,  15 B,  16 A,  16 B,  17 A,  17 B,  18 ,  19 ,  20  and  21 , an alternative embodiment of the present invention is an extendable clothes hanger  88  including a hook portion  90  and a left linear side arm  92 A and an opposed right linear side arm  92 B that are both connected to hook portion  90 . A linear extension sleeve  94 A slidably mounted to side arm  92 A is movable between an inward unextended mode as shown in  FIG. 12  and an outward fully extended mode as shown in  FIG. 13 . A linear extension sleeve  94 B slidably mounted to side arm  92 B is movable between an inward unextended mode as shown in  FIG. 12  and an outward fully extended mode as shown in  FIG. 13 . Side arms  92 A and  92 B are shown angled slightly downwardly relative to the horizontal in a manner known in the art.  
         [0087]     Linear extension sleeves  94 A and  94 B can be positioned relative to side arms  92 A and  92 B in five positions that are analogous to the five positions of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B of clothes hanger  10  as shown in  FIGS. 1A, 1B ,  1 C,  1 D and  1 E. Thus, extension sleeves  94 A and  94 B can also be positioned in three intermediate positions between the unextended and the fully extended modes analogous to the three intermediate extension mode positions of extension sleeves  16 A and  16 B of hanger  10  as shown in  FIGS. 1B, 1C  and  1 D.  
         [0088]     Linear side arms  92 A and  92 B are cylindrical each including cylindrical walls  96 A and  96 B, respectively, that form cylindrical spaces with cylindrical space  98 A shown as in  FIGS. 14A and 14B , respectively, which is representative of the cylindrical space formed by cylindrical wall  96 B.  
         [0089]     Linear extension sleeves  94 A and  94 B are likewise cylindrical having cylindrical walls  100 A and  100 B, respectively, that have inner diameters that are slightly larger than the outer diameters of cylindrical walls  96 A and  96 B so that extension sleeves  94 A and  94 B are slidably movable relative to side arms  92 A and  92 B. Cylindrical walls  96 A and  100 A have a common centerline  102 A and cylindrical walls  96 B and  100 B have a common centerline  102 B.  
         [0090]      FIGS. 12, 13 ,  14 A,  17  and  18  show locking pins  104 A and  104 B. Locking pin  104 A is shown in detail in  FIGS. 14A, 18  and  19  secured to the top sides  106 A and  106 B of side arms  92 A and  92 B and movable relative to the bottom sides  116 A and  116 B of side arms  92 A and  92 B, respectively, proximate to side arm outer end  110 A, which is representative of locking pin  104 B relative to side arm  92 B. Locking pins  104 A and  104 B are movable relative to locked and unlocked modes across cylindrical spaces  98 A and  98 B transversely through common centerlines  102 A and  102 B of cylindrical side arms  92 A and  92 B and cylindrical sleeves  100 A and  100 B, respectively.  
         [0091]     As seen in  FIGS. 16A and 16B , bottom side  108 A of cylindrical wall  100 A of sleeve  94 A and cylindrical wall  100 B of sleeve  108 B, respectively, each define five equally spaced locking pin apertures  112 A,  112 B,  112 C,  112 D and  114 E, and  114 A,  114 B,  114 C,  114 D and  114 E, respectively. Locking pin  104 A in the spring biased mode extends through a selected one of apertures  112 A-E, and locking pin  104 B in the spring biased mode extends through a selected one of apertures  114 A-E, wherein extension sleeves  94 A and  94 B are locked with side arms  92 A and  92 B, respectively, relative to the selected pin apertures.  
         [0092]      FIG. 17  shows locking pin  104 A, which is representative of locking pin  104 B, in the spring unbiased locked mode and  FIG. 18  shows locking pin  112  in the spring biased unlocked mode. Locking pin  104 A is also shown in  FIG. 14A  extending transversely and diametrically through cylindrical space  98 A defined by cylindrical wall  96 A of side arm  92 A. Locking pin  104 B by analogy extends transversely and diametrically through cylindrical a space defined by cylindrical wall  96 B of side arm  92 B. Locking pin  104 A is secured to top side  106 A of side arm  92 A proximate to side arm outer end  110 A. Locking pin  104 A is movable between the locked and unlocked modes transverse to the common centerline  102 A of cylindrical side arm  92 A and cylindrical extension sleeve  100 A, and likewise locking pin  104 B is movable between the locked and unlocked modes transverse to the common centerline  102 B of cylindrical side arm  92 B and cylindrical extension sleeve  100 B.  
         [0093]     As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 19  locking pin  104 A includes a button  118  that extends through a button hole  120  defined in bottom side  116 A of side arm  92 A in which button  118  is slidably positioned in all modes. Button includes a cylindrical side wall  122 , an outer end wall  124  together defining a cylindrical compartment  126 , an inner circular edge  128  and a circular stop flange  130  extending outwardly from side wall  122 proximate to circular edge  128 . Stop flange  130  optionally can be a circular washer snap-mounted to cylindrical side wall  122  in a manner known in the art. A cylindrical post  132  includes a free end  134  and a fixed end  136  secured to top  106 A of side arm  92 A.  
         [0094]     A helical compression spring  138  is slidably mounted around post  132  between secured end  136  and inner circular edge  128 . Spring  138  includes a spring top mount  140  pressed against side arm  92 A and a circular bottom mount  142  pressed against stop flange  130 .  
         [0095]     In the unbiased locked mode of  FIG. 17 , locking button  118  extends through button hole  120  and also through the selected one of locking apertures  112 A-E indicated as locking aperture  112 X so that locking pin  104 A locks cylindrical wall  100 A of extension sleeve  94 A to cylindrical wall  96 A of side arm  92 A. In the spring biased locking mode of  FIG. 18 , locking button  118  preferably remains positioned in button hole  120 .  
         [0096]     In operation, in the spring biased locked mode shown in  FIG. 17 , the operator can press locking button  118  inwardly into the spring biased unlocked mode wherein spring  138  is forced from the spring biased mode of  FIG. 17  to the spring biased mode of  FIG. 18  wherein locking button  118  is moved from locking aperture  112 X. At such time the operator slides sleeve  94 A relative to side arm  92 A to a new alignment of sleeve  94 A in particular to a new alignment of button  118  into another locking aperture selected from locking apertures  112 A-E. When that alignment is made, locking button  118  is biased into the unbiased mode through the new locking aperture  112 X such as that seen in  FIG. 17  and sleeve  94 A is locked with side arm  92 A. When sleeve  94 A is slid along side arm  92 A in the arrangement seen in  FIG. 18  and locking button  118  is self-biased into an unselected locking aperture, the operator again presses locking button  118  into the spring biased mode and continues sliding sleeve  94 A relative to side arm  92 A to the desired alignment wherein locking button  118 , namely, locking pin  104 A moves into position in the new locking pin aperture  112 A-E as the case might be.  
         [0097]      FIGS. 12, 13 ,  14 B,  19  and  20  show opposed bracing pins  144 A and  144 B that are secured to bottom sides  116 A and  116 B of side arms  92 A and  92 B, respectively, slightly inwardly relative to locking pins  104 A and  104 B, respectively, and to side arms outer ends  110 A and  110 B, respectively. Bracing pins  144 A and  144 B are positioned transverse to centerlines  102 A and  102 B of cylindrical side arms  92 A and  92 B.  FIG. 19  shows bracing pin  144 A in the spring unbiased locked mode and  FIG. 20  shows bracing pin  144 A in the spring biased locked mode. Bracing pin  144 A is secured to bottom side  116 A of side arm  102 A proximate to side arm outer end  110 A.  
         [0098]     Bracing pin  144 A as shown in  FIGS. 19 and 20  includes a cylindrical button  148  that is positioned in a button hole  150  defined by top side  106 A of side arm  92 A wherein button  148  is positioned in all modes. Button  148  includes a cylindrical side wall  152 , a button outer end wall  154  together defining a cylindrical compartment  156 , a button inner circular end  158 , a button inner circular stop flange  160  extending outwardly from side wall  152  proximate to inner circular end  158 . Stop flange  160  optionally can be a circular washer snap-mounted to button side wall  152  in a manner known in the art. A cylindrical post  162  includes a free end portion  164  slidably mounted in cylindrical compartment  156  and an opposed end  166  secured to bottom  116 A of side arm  92 A.  
         [0099]     A helical compression spring  168  is slidably mounted around post  162  between post secured end  166  and button circular stop flange  160 . Spring  168  includes a spring circular bottom end  170  secured to bottom side  116 A of side arm  92 A and a spring circular top end  172  in contact with stop flange  160 .  
         [0100]     In the spring unbiased locked mode of  FIG. 19 , button  148  extends through button hole  150  and also through button hole  150 . In this mode, bracing pin  144 A locks cylindrical wall  100 A of extension sleeve  94 A to cylindrical wall  96 A of side arm  92 A. In the spring biased locked mode of  FIG. 19 , button  150  of bracing pin  144 A preferably remains positioned in button hole  148 . In the locked mode of bracing pin  144 A, button stop flange  160  limits button  150  from further movement as button stop flange  160  is pressed against top side  106 A of side arm  92 A as spring  168  biases button  150  upwardly through bracing pin aperture  146 A.  
         [0101]     In operation, when bracing pin  144 A is in the spring unbiased locked mode shown in  FIG. 19  and the unlocked mode of bracing pin  144 A is desired, the operator presses button  150  inwardly, or downwardly, wherein spring  168  is forced to the spring biased unlocked mode of  FIG. 20  wherein button  148  is moved out of bracing pin aperture  146 A. At such time the operator slides extension sleeve  94 A relative to side arm  92 A to a new alignment of sleeve  94 A that is dependent upon the operator&#39;s selection of the placement of locking pin  104 A into one of locking pin apertures  112 A-E as generally shown in  FIG. 17 . Extension sleeve  94 A can be slid relative to side arm  92 A only when both locking pin  104 A and bracing pin  144 A are both in their respective unlocked modes as shown in  FIGS. 18 and 20 , respectively.  
         [0102]     When, however, an alignment of locking pin  104 A with locking pin aperture  120 E is made and locking pin  104 A moves through aperture  120 E into the locking mode shown in  FIG. 17 , bracing pin  144 A at that time is biased through bracing pin aperture  146 A into the bracing pin locked mode shown in  FIG. 19 . As sleeve  94 A is slid along side arm  92 A, if button  118  of locking pin  104 A is spring biased into a selected locking pin aperture that has not been selected, the operator again presses locking button  118  into the spring biased mode shown in  FIG. 17  and continues sliding sleeve  94 A relative to side arm  92 A to the desired alignment wherein locking pin  104 A, namely button  118 , is positioned in the selected locking pin aperture  112 A-E as the case might be. Only when locking pin  104 A is in the locked mode in aperture  120 E is bracing pin  144 A positioned in the locked mode as shown in  FIG. 19 . In all other positions of locking pin  104 A, bracing pin  144 A is in the spring biased unlocked mode as shown in  FIG. 20 . The details of bracing pin  144 A as described hereinabove are analogous to bracing pin  144 B mutatis mutandis.  
         [0103]     Other embodiments or modifications may be suggested to those having the benefit of the teachings therein, and such other embodiments or modifications are intended to be reserved especially as they fall within the scope and spirit of the subjoined claims. For example, locking pins mounted to the side arms described herein as being responsive to biasing means can, for example, be threaded locking pins having holding rims and can pass through the apertures on the extension sleeves and be threaded into threaded recesses in the side arms.