Abstract:
An adjustable support device for under-mounted sanitary fixtures which enables the installation of rimless and rimmed fixtures to a countertop without the use of counter attaching hardware. The system includes mounting brackets for attachment to under-counter support cabinetry and moveable carriages suspended from the mounting brackets by adjustable lift actuators. Length adjustable hanger beams are attached to the opposing moveable carriages to create a support surface for the fixtures. The moveable carriages and attached hanger beams are lowered by the lift actuators to accommodate the insertion of a sanitary fixture and then raised to position the supported, upward facing rim of the fixture to the desired position relative to the countertop.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from a U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/209,785 filed on 11 Mar. 2009 by Peter S. Flynn. The entire contents of that application are incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not applicable 
     INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of devices for the installation of sanitary fixtures and appliances, and more specifically, devices used for the under-counter installation of sanitary fixtures. 
     2. Background 
     Ceramic or metal cast or machined rimless sinks, sometimes called Farmhouse or Apron sinks, are very heavy fixtures which require robust support systems on which to mount them or suspend them so that they do not detach from the countertop to which they are mounted. Their substantial weight is due to the material from which they are manufactured and the significant volume of water the larger models of some of these sinks can accommodate. In addition to being very heavy, these sinks are often hand crafted and hence are not completely symmetrical in shape or even in height. Furthermore, it has become increasingly fashionable to mount these sinks underneath stone or masonry countertops in which it is difficult or impossible to attach mounting hardware without drilling receiving holes into the underside of the stone surface to accommodate the hardware. Even if mounting hardware can be effectively installed into the underside of the masonry or non masonry counters, the sinks have no rims or lips on the upper edge with which to engage this mounting hardware. 
     Information relevant to attempts to address these problems can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,096,520, 7,429,021, 5,743,501, 5,538,206 and Published Application No. 20050211852. However, each one of these references suffers from one or more of the following shortcomings: the disclosed devices are mounted on the floor or bottom of the cabinet beneath the sink thereby occupying much of the useful floor space beneath the sink; the devices although adjustable or sizeable prior to installation, are not easily adjustable once the sink or fixture is in place; the devices require shimming after the fixture is installed to ensure proper mating of the fixture to the underside of the counter; the device requires that the sink or fixture have a rim that can be engaged by a clip or similar fixing device. 
     As a result of the shortcomings of the aforementioned attempted solutions to this problem, a commonly encountered installation technique for these types of sinks relies primarily on the construction of wooden frames or boxes which rest on the floor beneath the sink or attach to the opposing vertical surfaces of the countertop support cabinetry and support the sink from beneath while relying on shims and caulk to ensure the sink is level and fully mated to the underside of the countertop. Again, these wooden support systems and the associated shims take up a significant amount of space beneath the sink, are not adjustable to accommodate non levelness in the sink or post installation shifting, and are prone to rot from exposure to water seepage. 
     What is needed is a robust, water resistant, adjustable sink support apparatus which allows a heavy ceramic, cast, molded, extruded or machined, rimless or rimmed sink to be mounted and adjusted for levelness under a masonry or non masonry countertop so that the upward facing edge of the sink engages with the underside of the countertop. This sink support apparatus needs to function without installing or adhering mounting hardware to the underside of the countertop and without consuming all the space beneath the sink with wooden framing that relies on the use of shims or other non precise gap filling measures to ensure the sink is properly engaged with the underside of the countertop. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure advantageously addresses one or more of the aforementioned deficiencies in the field of sanitary fixture support devices by providing a high strength, light weight, water resistant adjustable sink support apparatus that attaches to the opposing, surfaces of the under-counter support cabinetry and suspends rimless and rimmed sinks, as well as other sanitary fixtures, on vertically and horizontally adjustable supports beneath the countertop without the need for bulky framing, support boxes, or shim stock support from beneath the sink, nor the need for adhesive or attachment hardware to engage the top edge of the sanitary fixture to the underside of the counter. 
     The device includes mounting brackets for attachment to the vertical surfaces of the under-counter support cabinetry and moveable carriages suspended from the mounting brackets by adjustable lift actuators. Length adjustable hanger beams are attached to the opposing, moveable carriages to create a support surface for the sanitary fixture. The moveable carriages and attached hanger beams are lowered by adjustable lift actuators to accommodate the insertion of a sink or other sanitary fixture and then raised to position the upward facing rim of the fixture to the desired height with respect to the countertop it is being installed under; either pressed against the underside of the countertop or in a position flush with or protruding above the top surface of the counter. 
     One embodiment of the present disclosure may include an adjustable lift actuator comprising an externally threaded, rotatable bolt with a head at one end to act as a keeper and a slot at the other for receiving a screw driver. The bolt is suspended by the bolt head through a hole in the horizontal suspension support surface of the mounting bracket where the diameter of the hole is larger than that of the threaded shaft of the bolt but smaller than that of the head of the bolt. The bolt further passes through a hole in the horizontally oriented hanger support platform of the moveable carriage situated below and aligned in parallel with the suspension support surface of the mounting bracket. A threaded nut permanently mounted beneath the hole in the hanger support platform threadably engages the shaft of the bolt passing through the hole and the nut. The hanger support platform of the moveable carriage is also attached to one end of a hanger beam which runs horizontally from one moveable carriage to a similar unit situated on the under counter support cabinetry on the opposite side of the fixture installation opening. When the threaded shaft of the bolt is turned by inserting and rotating a screw driver in the slot in the exposed end of the bolt, the moveable carriage and attached hanger beam travels up or down the thread to the desired height. 
     In another embodiment the adjustable lift actuator may take the form of a threaded lead screw with a rotatable, mating nut. In this embodiment the screw is permanently fixed to the suspension support surface of the mounting bracket so that is cannot rotate and may pass through an unthreaded hole in the horizontally-oriented hanger support platform of the moveable carriage which is situated below and aligned in parallel with the suspension support surface of the mounting bracket. The internally threaded, rotatable nut mates with the threaded lead screw and supports the underside of the hanger support platform of the moveable carriage. When the nut is turned on the fixed lead screw the moveable carriage is moved along the axis of the lead screw to the desired height. 
     In another embodiment the lift actuator may be a ratcheting device that allows the height of the moveable carriage to be ratcheted up or down to a desired height while loaded or unloaded. 
     In still another embodiment the lift actuator may be a chain suspended from a hook on the underside of the suspension support surface of the mounting bracket and attached to a hook on the topside of the hanger support platform of the moveable carriage. The height of the hanger support platform may be adjusted by selecting a different link of the chain to attach to the support plate of the moveable carriage. 
     In another embodiment, the hanger beam which contacts the underside of the supported fixture is adjustable in length so that it can be sized and locked to the desired length so as to accommodate a wide variety of fixture sizes. 
     A novel and non obvious feature of the device and associated method is the attachment of the apparatus to vertical surfaces of the under counter support cabinetry instead of the underside of the counter or the floor beneath the fixture. 
     Another novel and non obvious feature of the device is the in-situ, height adjustable moveable carriages which allow the apparatus to be easily lowered and raised with or without the fixture in place. 
     The device affords the user one or more of the following advantages. The device does not take up floor space beneath the fixture. Because the mounting brackets attach to vertical surfaces of under-counter support cabinetry, there is no need for the device to be supported by vertical bracing on the floor beneath the fixture. This leaves the area beneath the fixture free for storage. 
     The device requires no attachment to the counter itself. Because the mounting brackets attach to the vertical surfaces of the under-counter support cabinetry and the lift actuators move the sanitary fixture into contact with the underside of the counter, there is no need to drill holes in the underside of the counter for receiving hardware. This is especially significant where the counter is made of masonry or other hard material. Additionally, there is no need to use adhesive to hold the fixture to the underside of the counter. 
     Because no hardware is used to attach the sanitary fixture to the underside of counters, the device can be used to install rimless and rimmed sinks to the underside of the counter. 
     The device is easily adjustable both before and after the fixture is emplaced allowing for ease of installation and removal and precise positioning during installation, even for fixtures which may be asymmetric. Furthermore, because the device is highly adjustable when the fixture is in place, there is no need for the use of shims to optimize the positioning of the fixture. Furthermore, should any shifting or settling occur after installation, the positioning of the sanitary fixture can easily be adjusted due to the easy access to the lift actuators when the fixture is present. The adjustability of the hardware also means that initial positioning and attachment of the mounting brackets to the support cabinetry does not need to be precisely accomplished. If one bracket should be at a slightly different height than the others, this error in installation can be accommodated by adjusting the lift actuator for that bracket to a height which corrects for the error in bracket placement. 
     Finally, because the device does not contain any wooden components, there is no danger of damage from exposure to water. 
     It is therefore the purpose of this device to serve as an adjustable support apparatus for sanitary fixtures which enables the installation of rimless and rimmed sanitary fixtures in under-mounted, flush-mounted or protruding positions relative to a counter without requiring attachment to the counter itself or support from the floor beneath the sanitary fixture. 
     The present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are intended to be read in conjunction with both this summary, the detailed description, and any preferred or particular embodiments specifically discussed or otherwise disclosed. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of illustration only so that this disclosure will be thorough, and fully convey the full scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating the sink support system and supported fixture as well as surrounding cabinetry and counter. 
         FIG. 2  shows in perspective the sink support system. 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevation showing the invention supporting a fixture prior to emplacement. 
         FIG. 4  is a front elevation showing a fixture as supported in place. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the invention of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is an isometric view of one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a detail of one end of the support system illustrating the mounting bracket, moveable carriage, adjustable lift actuator and a portion of the hanger beam. 
         FIG. 8  is an isometric view of the moveable carriage 
         FIG. 9  is an end view section of the adjustable lift apparatus of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded end view demonstrating nestability of support members. 
         FIG. 11  shows another embodiment of the adjustable lift actuator. 
         FIG. 12  shows another embodiment of the adjustable lift actuator. 
         FIG. 13  shows yet another embodiment of the adjustable lift actuator. 
         FIG. 14  shows yet another embodiment of the adjustable lift actuator. 
         FIG. 15  shows another embodiment of an appliance lift and support mechanism. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure is directed to an adjustable support apparatus for under-mounted sinks. The device as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  consists of a plurality of mounting brackets  20  which are attached, in pairs, to opposing vertical surfaces of the surrounding under-counter support cabinetry  17 . A plurality of moveable carriages  30  equal in number to the amount of installed mounting brackets  20  are suspended from said mounting brackets  20  by means of a lift actuator  40 . Said carriages  30  slideably engage along a vertical plane with said mounting brackets  20  in a manner that ensures said moveable carriages  30  do not laterally displace beyond the surface covered by said mounting bracket  20 . A length adjustable hanger beam  48 , which is sized to accommodate horizontal distances between said opposing pairs of carriages  30  and is fixed in size by a locking mechanism  73 , attaches to said opposing carriages  30  thereby spanning the gap between the supports and completing the adjustable support system  10  for the sink  13  to rest on. 
     Mounting Bracket 
     The mounting bracket  20  as shown in  FIG. 5  comprises a mounting plate  22 , a suspension support surface  24 , guide flanges  26  and support braces  27 . The mounting plate  22  attaches to the opposing vertical surfaces of the counter-support cabinetry  17  by use of fasteners such as screws, nails or adhesive. The suspension support surface  24  extends perpendicularly from plane of the mounting plate  22  towards the opposing vertical surface of the supporting cabinets  17  and is joined to the mounting plate  22  at right angles. Support braces  27  reinforce the union between the mounting plate  22  and the suspension support surface  24  and maintain them at the desired angle of intersection with each other, preferably perpendicular. The suspension support surface  24  comprises an upward facing surface and a hole or slot  25  through which the adjustable lift actuator  40  passes. The guide flanges  26  extend orthogonally from the vertical edges of the mounting plate  22  for the purposes of preventing the lateral displacement of the slideably engaged carriage  30 . 
     The purpose of the mounting bracket  20  is to provide an immovable anchor for the carriage  30  to hang from. It is sized to allow a plurality of fastening hardware to be inserted through holes  29  far enough apart on the vertical mounting plate  22  to prevent localized deformation of the supporting cabinetry  17  and to allow easy access to the adjustable lift actuator  40  with common hand-tools. The thickness of the mounting bracket  20  depends on the material chosen to fashion it from but must be strong enough to support the anticipated load which itself is dependent on the size, volume and manufacturing material chosen for the sink. 
     Moveable Carriage and Adjustable Lift Actuator 
     The moveable carriage  30  as Shown in  FIGS. 5 and 8  comprises a sliding plate  36 , a hanger support platform  34 , which extends orthogonally from the plane of the sliding plate  36 , and a plurality of support braces  37  which reinforce the union of the two plates and maintain them at the desired angle of intersection, preferably perpendicular. The sliding plate  36  slideably engages with the exposed surface of the vertical mounting plate  22  of the mounting bracket  20  and fits between the guide flanges  26  of the vertical mounting plate  22  so that the sliding plate  36  does not displace horizontally when it slides up and down. The hanger support platform  34  comprises a horizontal surface with openings  35  for accommodating the adjustable lift actuator  40  such as holes, slots or hooks and structures for attaching the hanger beams  48  such as holes  33  for accommodating fasteners  72  or slots for accommodating straps. The attachment of the hanger beams  48  also prevents the moveable carriages  30  and associated lift actuator  40  from moving out of the vertical plane defined by the mounting plate  22  of the mounting bracket  20 . 
     The adjustable lift actuator  40  comprises a vertical shaft  41  such as an externally threaded lead-screw, a chain or saw-toothed shaft, a load-bearing element  44  such as a shank head, cotter pin or keeper device, an adjusting device  46 ,  47 , and a rotational drive feature  42  such as a slot for a screwdriver or a hex head or wing nut. The load bearing element  44  suspends the adjustable lift actuator  40  from the suspension support surface  24  of the mounting bracket  20  thereby preventing the actuator  40  from falling through the hole  25  in the suspension support surface  24 . The adjusting device  46 ,  47  may take the form a nut positioned above or below a hole  35  in the hanger support platform  34 , or a hook for looping a chain link or a ratcheting mechanism and is used to adjust the distance between the suspension support surface  24  and the hanger support platform  34  by the interaction of the vertical shaft  41  with the adjusting device. The adjustable lift actuator  40  may also include a stop at the bottom of the vertical shaft  41  in the form of a cotter pin or nut to prevent the moveable carriage  30  from sliding past the bottom end of the vertical shaft  41  of the lift actuator  40 . 
     The function of the hanger support platform  34  and the lift actuator  40  is to raise or lower each corner of the supported sink independently thereby ensuring that the upward facing edge of the supported sink  13  is at the precise and desired height. The width of the sliding plate  36  and horizontal hanger support platform  34  are sized so that they are slightly narrower than the width defined by the guide flanges  26  of the mounting brackets  20  thereby enabling the sliding plate  36  to move vertically between the guide flanges  26  with minimal lateral displacement. The height of the sliding plate  36  must be proportional to the length of the vertical shaft  41  of the lift actuator  40  so that the sliding plate  36  remains slideably engaged with the mounting plate  22  when the lift actuator  40  is lowered to its minimum position defined by the length of the vertical shaft  41 . The thickness of the material chosen to fashion the carriage  30  and lift actuator  40  must be great enough to support the anticipated load which itself is dependent on the size, volume and manufacturing material chosen for the sink. 
     Hanger Beam 
     The hanger beam  48  as show in  FIGS. 6 and 15  comprises a length-adjustable device such as telescoping tubes, nesting slideably connected plates  50 ,  60  capable of being attached to the hanger support platform  34  and spanning the distance between the opposing hanger support platforms  34  thereby providing a platform for the underside of the supported sink  13 . The beam  48  further comprises a mechanism for locking  73  the beam at a selected length and a device for increasing the friction between the beam  48  and the sink such as a rubber or foam strip  18 , so that the sink does not slide across the beams  48  after being positioned on the beams  48 . 
     The function of the hanger beam  48  is to provide a sturdy surface on which the underside of the sink  13  rests for support. The surface of the beam  48  presses against the underside of the sink thereby forcing the top edge of the sink into contact or close proximity with the underside of the counter  16  to which it is mounted. The force at which the beam  48  engages the underside of the sink  13  can be adjusted by shortening the effective length of the adjustable lift actuator  40  so that the hanger support platform  34  and supported hanger beam  48  move upward thereby engaging the underside of the supported sink  13  with increased pressure. The thickness of the material used to form a beam  48  is dependent on the type of material chosen and the presence of any reinforcing devices in the beam  48 , as well as the number of beams installed for support, but must be sufficient to support significant loads the magnitude of which depend on the size of the sink, weight of the material used to fashion it and the volume of water and other contents the sink can hold. The length of the beam sections  50 ,  60  depends on the width that must be spanned which itself is determined by the distance between the opposing vertical mounting surfaces for the support system. The width can be chosen so that the beam  48  fits inside the guide flanges of the mounting bracket or it can be wider than the mounting bracket in order to provide a larger support surface. 
     The mounting brackets  20 , carriages  30  and lift actuators  40  can be made from a variety of materials but preferably machined, rolled or stamped metal or molded, extruded or machined high strength polymer or plastic. The hanger beams  48  are made from the same material. 
     The invention is used by installing the sink support apparatus  10  beneath the counter  16  at the location where the sink  13  is to be positioned as shown in  FIG. 3 . This is accomplished by fastening the mounting brackets  20  to the opposing, surfaces of the counter-support cabinets  17  located beneath the counter  16  on opposing sides of the sink&#39;s  13  intended location, said opposing, surfaces  17  being located either to the left and right or front and back of the sink  13 . From these mounting brackets  20  moveable carriages  30  are suspended from lift actuators  40  which raise and lower the carriages  30  within the confines of guide flanges  26  which extend perpendicularly from the vertically oriented edges of the mounting brackets  20 , said flanges  26  extending sufficiently to prevent the moveable carriages  30  from displacing laterally from the plains defined by the guide flanges  26 . Horizontal hanger beams  48  which are adjustable for length are then fastened to the hanger support platforms  34  of the moveable carriages  30  and are sized so that they span the distance between opposing hanger support platforms  34 . The sizing of the hanger beams  48  is fixed through a locking mechanism  73  and then the hanger beam  48  is attached to the opposing, moveable carriages  30  suspended by adjustable lift actuators  40  from suspension support surfaces  24  of mounting brackets  20  mounted in positions on the opposing, vertical, counter-support surfaces  17 . Additional hanger beams  48  are installed on other opposing pairs of carriages  30  which are themselves suspended from additional pairs of opposing mounting brackets  20 . 
     Once a sufficient number of hanger beams  48  have been installed, normally 2-3, the hanger beams  48  are lowered to the maximum extent allowed by the adjustable lift actuator  40 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the sink  13  is then slid in place from a position in front of the support cabinets until the underside of the sink  13  rests securely on the suspended hanger beams  48  and the upward opening of the sink  13  is in the correct position with respect to the actual or planned location of the opening in the countertop  16  that is cut to align with the sink  13 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the lift actuators  40  are then adjusted in a manner to move the hanger support platforms  34  and beams  48  and supported sink  13  upwards until the upward facing edge of the sink  13  is at the desired height relative to the countertop  16 , either pressed against the underside, or in a position that is flush with or protruding above the top surface. Individual lift actuators  40  are further adjusted to accommodate any non-levelness in the sink  13  observed upon installation. A bead of sealant  19  is then placed around the inner edge of the mating surface between the inside, upward facing edge of the sink  13  and the underside of the countertop  16  to prevent water seepage. The lift actuators  40  can then be adjusted after prolonged use to accommodate for any gaps that appear between the underside of the counter  16  and upward facing sink edge due to settling in the construction. They may also be easily adjusted downward to allow the sink  13  to be removed should it become cracked or should the owner wish to replace it with a different model. 
     One particular embodiment of the device may comprise four each mounting brackets  20 , carriages  30 , lift actuators  40  and four hanger beam sections  50 ,  60 . As shown in  FIG. 6-8 , the mounting bracket  20  is shaped in the form of an inverted L consisting of a vertical mounting plate  22  and a horizontal suspension support surface  24  which extends orthogonally from the top edge of said mounting plate  22 . The suspension support surface  24  and the vertical mounting plate  22  are reinforced by a plurality of support braces  27  which are positioned to maintain the orthogonal positioning of the suspension support surface  24  to said vertical mounting plate  22 . Two guide flanges  26  extend orthogonally from the vertical edges of said vertical mounting plate  22  for the purposes of preventing the lateral displacement of the slideably engaged carriages  30 . A hole  25  is positioned in the center of the horizontal suspension surface  24  for purposes of passing through and retaining a threaded vertical shaft  41 . A plurality of holes are positioned in the vertical mounting plate  22  for purposes of permitting fastening hardware  71  to attach through the vertical mounting plate  22  to the support cabinetry  17 . 
     The carriage  30  is shaped in the form of an inverted L and comprises a vertical sliding plate  36 , a hanger support platform  34  which extends orthogonally from the top edge of the vertical sliding plate  36 , and a plurality of support braces  37  which reinforce the union of the plate and platform and maintain them perpendicular to each other. The sliding plate  36  slideably engages with the face of the mounting plate  22  of the mounting bracket  20  and fits between the guide flanges  26  of the mounting plate  22  so that it does not displace horizontally when it slides up and down. The hanger support platform  34  comprises a flat surface with a plurality of small holes for attaching the hanger beam  48  and a larger hole  35  in the surface, said hole being positioned in the support platform so that it aligns with the hole in the suspension plate  24  of the mounting bracket  20  when the hanger support platform  34  is positioned inside the guide flanges  26  of the mounting bracket  20 . The purpose of the hole  35  being to accommodate the passage of an externally threaded shaft  41  to be used as the lift actuator. 
     The externally threaded shaft  41  comprises a shaft which is threaded along its entire length with a load bearing head  44  at one end and a slotted end  42  designed to accept a screwdriver at the other. An internally threaded nut  46  is attached to the underside of the horizontal support platform  34  of the carriage  30  in such a manner as to align the threads of the nut  46  with the hole in the support platform  35 . The nut  46  is then fixed in place by use of a fixing medium such as adhesive, solder or weldment. The slotted end  42  of the shaft is then passed through the hole  25  in the suspension support surface  24  of the mounting bracket  22  until the keeper  44  that is permanently affixed to the shaft comes to rest on the top surface of the suspension support plate  24  thereby preventing the shaft  41  from falling through the hole  25 . The moveable carriage  30  is then positioned immediately below the slotted end  42  of the threaded shaft  41  and the shaft  41  is rotated so that the external threads of the shaft  42  mate with the internal threads of the nut  46  mounted on the underside of the hanger support platform  34  thereby causing the platform  34  to rise in relation to the surrounding hardware. By turning the threaded shaft from below or above in either direction, the moveable carriage  30  can hang at an adjustable distance from the suspension plate  24 . As the vertical position of the hanger support platform  34  is adjusted by turning the threaded shaft  41  inside the permanently mounted threaded nut  46 , the guide flanges  26  of the mounting bracket  20  maintain the horizontal alignment of the two components. 
     The hanger beams  48  as shown in  FIGS. 6 , and  7  comprise a plurality of sections including a bottom section  50  and a top section  60  which nests inside the bottom section  50  and is slideably engaged with the bottom section  50 . The bottom section  50  is comprised of a rectangular sheet of material with a first end and a second end, one or more reinforcing channels and a plurality of flanges  55  that run the length of the rectangular sheet. The reinforcing channels comprise a web  52  surrounded on both sides by a vertical or angled side  54  which extend upward to the flange  55  of the bottom section  50 . The sides of the reinforcing channel  54  are of a depth necessary to provide adequate strength to the rectangular sheet so that it will not deform under the anticipated load and may be oriented at angles between 45 and 90 degrees from the web to facilitate nesting of the bottom and top sections. The web  52  of the reinforcing channel contains holes  58  to accommodate fastening hardware  73  needed for fixing the size of the hanger beam  48  with the top section  60  nested inside the bottom  50  section. At least one end of the bottom section  50  contains a u-shaped notch  53  removed from the material to allow the end of the section to partially surround the threaded shaft  41  when the end of the section is position and attached to the horizontal support plate of the hanger supports. The second end of the bottom section  50  may also have the notch removed so that the section can be oriented in either direction. As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 8 , the ends of the bottom section  50  further comprise fastening holes to allow the end to be fastened to corresponding holes  33  in the hanger support platform  34  of the carriage  30  by the use of fastening hardware  72 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the top section  60  of the hanger beam  48  comprises a rectangular sheet of material with a first end and second end, a reinforcing channel and a plurality of flanges  65  that run the length of the section. The reinforcing channel comprises a web  62  surrounded on both side by vertical or angled sides  64  which extends upward to the flange  65 . The sides of the reinforcing channel  64  are of a depth necessary to provide adequate strength to the section so that it will not deform under the anticipated load and may be oriented at angles between 45 and 90 degrees from the web to facilitate nesting of the bottom  50  and top  60  sections. In the case where the sides  64  of the reinforcing channel of the top section are vertical, the channel is of a width and depth slightly less than the width and depth of the reinforcing channel of the bottom section  50  so that the two sections can nest together and slideably engage thereby forming a sturdy horizontally adjustable hanger beam  48 . The web of the reinforcing channel  62  contains slots  68  which are aligned with the holes  58  located in the web  52  of the bottom section  50 , said slots  68  accommodating fasteners  73  which pass through the slots of the bottom section  50  and fix the position of the two sections relative to each other at a prescribed length. At least one end of the top section  60  contains a u-shaped notch removed from the material to allow the end of the section to partially surround the threaded shaft  41  when the end of the section is position and attached to the horizontal support platform of the carriage. A cushioning material  18  is attached to the upward facing surfaces of the flange  55 ,  65  of the hanger beams  48  and serve to provide a soft, high friction surface with which to engage the supported sink  13 . In cases where the sink  13  rests partially on the top section  60  and partially on the bottom section  50  of the hanger beams  48 , additional cushion material or other solid gap filling devices may be applied to the flange of the bottom section  50  so that the sink rests level on the hanger beam  48 . 
     The mounting bracket  20 , support brace  27  and hanger beam  48  sections are comprised of stamped stainless steel sheet metal and are formed to their final shape through machine breaking of the components. Where the support braces  27  and suspension support surface  24  of the mounting bracket  20  meet, the unions are welded together for increased strength. The support braces  37  of the carriage  30  are also welded to the face of the sliding plate  36  of the carriage  30  as is the edge of the hanger support platform  34  that intersects with the top of the sliding plate  36  of the carriage  30 . The externally threaded shaft  41  is formed from a steel shaft which has been threaded and notched by tool and die processes. 
     While the present invention has been described above in terms of specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. These other embodiment are intended to be and are covered by this disclosure. It is intended that the scope of the invention should be determined by those of skill in the art relying upon the disclosure in this specification and the attached drawings.