Garment drying rack

Abstract

A garment drying rack having a hub and at least three elongated legs pivotally mounted at their inner end to the hub. The legs are movable between an operable position in which the legs extend radially outwardly from the hub and a storage position in which the legs are generally parallel to and adjacent each other. An actuator having a gear rack on its outer surface is movably positioned within the hub between a first and a second position. The gear rack on the actuator cooperates with a ratchet formed at the inner end of each leg so that movement of the actuator from its first and to its second position simultaneously pivots the legs from the storage position and to their operable position in unison with each other.

1 . A garment drying rack comprising: 
 a hub, and    at least three elongated legs pivotally mounted at an inner end to said hub between an operable position in which said legs extend radially outwardly from said hub and a storage position in which said legs are generally parallel and adjacent to each other.    
   
   
       2 . The invention as defined in  claim 1  and comprising an actuator movably mounted to said hub between a first and a second position, said actuator coacting with said legs to simultaneously pivot said legs in unison with each other from said storage position to said operable position as said actuator moves from said first to said second position.  
   
   
       3 . The invention as defined in  claim 2  wherein each said leg includes a ratchet, said actuator includes a gear rack and wherein said ratchets meshingly engage said gear rack.  
   
   
       4 . The invention as defined in  claim 2  wherein said hub is substantially cylindrical in shape and wherein said actuator is axially movably mounted to said hub between said first and said second positions.  
   
   
       5 . The invention as defined in  claim 1  and comprising an elongated support associated with each leg, each support being pivotally secured at one end to an outer end of its associated leg.  
   
   
       6 . The invention as defined in  claim 5  wherein each support is pivotal between an open position in which said support extends outwardly from its associated leg, and a collapsed position in which said support is nested within its associated leg.  
   
   
       7 . The invention as defined in  claim 6  where each leg includes a recess adjacent its outer end, each said recess dimensioned to receive a free end of one support.  
   
   
       8 . The invention as defined in  claim 7  and comprising at least two said hubs, each said hub having at least three said legs pivotally secured at said inner end to its associated hub.  
   
   
       9 . The invention as defined in  claim 1  and comprising a hook secured on one end of said hub.  
   
   
       10 . A garment drying rack assembly comprising: 
 a plurality of drying racks, each drying rack having a hub, and at least three elongated legs pivotally mounted at an inner end to said hub between an operable position in which said legs extend radially outwardly from said hub and a storage position in which said legs are generally parallel and adjacent to each other, and    means for removably stacking said drying racks upon each other.