Expandable dish drain

Abstract

An expandable dish drain contains a drawer-like tray within at the bottom of the dish drain. Water from dishes on the dish drain, drains through frontal slots in the downwardly slanted floor into the tray. If additional dish space is required, the tray is drawn outwards, acting as an extended dish drain and a drainage board. In this position water drains through the same frontal slots and collects in the tray. The floor slots in the dish drain permit water drainage only into the tray whether the tray is in its outward or withdrawn position. The tray is a downwardly slanted floor with respect to the horizontal such that in this position the outward side of the tray has walls on three sides to keep water within, the other side has a slot so that if the tray is reversed water may drain by gravity into a sink. The spaced-apart ridges on the tray keep dishes above the collected water on the bottom of the surface of the tray. The tray is removable to expel water in the “walled” position. Plate holders, which are removable, lie down in package form until they are rotated and held vertical by side nipples.

1 . A dish drain for holding a plurality of dishes, said dish drain comprising a first frame and a second frame movable interfitted to said first frame, at least one of said first or second frames having a floor surface and a plurality of removable apertures formed therein, said apertures being aligned in spaced apart pairs, and a plurality of separators adapted to interfit into at least a pair of said apertures so as to extend upwardly from said at least one of said first or second frames to provide support for dishes in said dish drain.  
   
   
       2 . A dish drain as defined in  claim 1  wherein at least one frame is a removable, reversible tray tilted downwards with respect to the horizontal, which rests on side runners, having sides and a front and a back with at least one wall removed or slotted such that with a wall downwards, holds water, and when reversed such that a wall removed or slots is on the downward direction of the tilt, allows the issuance of water therefrom.  
   
   
       3 . A dish drain as defined in  claim 1  wherein said first frame and said second frames both have tilted floor surfaces having removable apertures formed therein and slidingly interfit together.  
   
   
       4 . A dish drain as defined in  claim 1  wherein said plurality of removable separators comprise separators that are generally straight in configuration.  
   
   
       5 . A dish drain as defined in  claim 1  wherein said plurality of separators comprise inverted U-shaped separators, each having a pair of ends and said pair of ends are adapted to be inserted into a pair of said apertures formed in the upper surface of at least of one of said first frame or said second frame.  
   
   
       6 . A dish drain as defined in  claim 2  wherein said plurality of separators comprise removable inverted U-shaped separators, each having a pair of ends and said pair of ends are adapted to be inserted into a pair of said apertures formed in the upper surface of said first and second frame members.  
   
   
       7 . A dish drain as defined in  claim 2  wherein there are a plurality of channels below pairs of aligned apertures in both said first and second frames to facilitate water runoff and hold such implements as dishes, glasses, cups on top of the channels.  
   
   
       8 . A dish drain as defined in  claim 1  wherein said first frame and said second frame are telescopingly interfitted together with abutments such as to prevent inadvertent separation.  
   
   
       9 . A dish drain as defined in  claim 8  wherein said first frame has a pair of external generally horizontal first frame members forming a first internal channel therebetween and the second frame member has a pair of external second frame members that are slidingly received in said first internal channel.  
   
   
       10 . A dish drain as defined in  claim 9  wherein said plurality of separators comprise U-shaped metal separators and said pair of external second frame members form a second internal channel that is dimensioned to receive and retain said separators for storage of said separators.  
   
   
       11 . A dish drain as defined in  claim 9  wherein said plurality of separators comprise straight separators and a pair of spaced apart lateral flanges extend between said pair of external second frame members, said spaced apart lateral flanges being spaced apart a predetermined dimension to receive and retain said straight separators for storage of said separators.  
   
   
       12 . A dish drain as defined in  claim 11  wherein said spaced apart lateral flanges comprise L-shaped flanges having a lower planar surface facing each other and said straight separators are received and retained on said lower planar surfaces.  
   
   
       13 . A dish drain as defined in  claim 1  wherein said first frame and said second frame are enameled metal construction and or plastic.  
   
   
       14 . A dish drain as defined in  claim 1  wherein said first frame and said second frame are metal, wooden, plastic or a combination thereto of frames.  
   
   
       15 . A method of retaining a plurality of dishes in an upright position, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a first frame with an upper surface having a plurality of apertures formed in said upper surface,    providing a second frame with an upper surface having a plurality of apertures formed in said upper surface,    slidably affixing the first frame to the second frame in a telescoping, interfitting relationship,    providing a plurality of separators,    inserting the plurality of separators into the apertures in said first and second frames such that the separators extend upwardly to support the upright positioning of the dishes.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of providing a plurality of separators comprises providing a plurality of generally straight removable separators.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the steps of providing a first and second frame each having a plurality of apertures comprises providing first and second frames having spaced apart apertures aligned in pairs or singly.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of providing a plurality of separators comprises providing a plurality of inverted U-shaped wire or plastic separators.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the steps of providing first and second frames comprises providing frames.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein at least one removable rod is attached to a floor and to which a silverware basket may be hung.