Patent Abstract:
A stiff wire rack for hanging in a laundry tub or sink is adjustable to accommodate tubs or sinks of various sizes.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is aimed at providing a stiff wire rack, sometimes referred to as a laundry tub caddy, for household use which is located in and hangs onto the sides of a tub such as a laundry tub or a sink and is adjustable in width to accommodate different size sinks or tubs. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Stiff wire racks are used in industry and in the home for a variety of purposes. Typically, in the home the rack may be used in a kitchen sink for holding dishes to dry after they have been washed. Other uses in the home may be in a laundry tub for holding cleaning supplies used for doing the laundry or for holding articles to dry after they have been washed. Typically, as an example, a wire rack in the laundry tub might be used for holding paint brushes for drying after they have been washed and/or the paint can and cleaning materials. 
     In the above-described uses and in other cases for domestic or household use, the wire racks which are commercially available for sitting into a tub or sink are of single size so are not adaptable for use in different size tubs or sinks. Therefore, the homeowner may need a number of different wire racks for use in a sink or a laundry tub when the tubs are of different dimensions. Also, this means that the vendors of the stiff wire racks have to carry a number of different size units to accommodate purchasers for the different size tubs and sinks that are in the purchasers&#39; homes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A stiff wire rack is made of two identical support members, one generally overlaying the other. Clips hold corresponding wires of each of the support members together while permitting them to be slidably moved with respect to one another. In this fashion the wire rack can be adjusted in size to accommodate different sized laundry tubs or sinks. At one end of each of the two sections are upstanding hanger members which are hingedly or pivotally attached at one end to the support members and are hooked at their other ends to engage the upper edge of the tub or sink to hold the rack in place within the confines of the tub. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a partial break-away perspective view of an embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a view illustrating the invention in place in a tub or sink; 
     FIG. 3 is an underside view of the support members; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a support member; and 
     FIG. 5 is a sectioned view of a clip for holding the support members together. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A wire rack or laundry tub caddy  10  rests inside a laundry tub or kitchen sink  11  and has a pair of horizontal stiff wire bottom support bases  12  for holding cleaning supplies or the like and upwardly extending left and right side hanger members  13  which have hooks  14  at their upper ends to engage the top edge  17  of a tub or sink  11  to hold the rack in place. 
     The bottom supports  12  are virtually identical sections and are constructed in a conventional fashion out of crossed stiff wires  15 . Preferably wires  15  are coated with some type of plastic for appearance and for protection against wear or rust. The two sections  12 A and  12 B rest one over the other with the respective wires  15  in contact with one another. A set of clips  16  generally in a C shape are spaced along the wires  15  to engage and hold together respectively corresponding wires of the two sections  12 A and  12 B so that they are held together but at the same time allowing them to be slidably moved left or right or sideways with respect to one another, as illustrated in the drawings. In this fashion, then, the bottom supports  12  can be adjusted as required to fit into tubs or sinks of various sizes. 
     The upward extending hanger members  13  are curled at  19  for pivotal attachment at their lower ends to respective ends of the bottom support members  12 . Preferably the lower ends of members  13  are curved upward to engage crosswires  15  at the ends of the horizontal support members  12  to provide the pivotable engagement At their upper ends hanger members  13  have hooks  14  for grasping the top edges  17  of sink or tub  11  to hold the rack in place within the confines of the sink or tub. 
     The front and back sides of the horizontal support or base member  12  may have upstanding walls  18  made out of stiff wire to keep anything resting on the base members from falling off the front or back edges.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3