Rack system for a dishwashing machine

Claim 2

A rack for a dishwashing machine having a tank defining a chamber in which cleansing liquid is propelled forcefully against articles supported in the rack, said rack having a generally open construction formed by a plurality of spaced longitudinal support members extending from front to back of said chamber and connected to a series of spaced lateral support members extending across said chamber, a plurality of upright pins secured to at least several of said support members for receiving soiled articles to be cleaned, and means for rotatably supporting at least one of said support members having a row of said pins thereon to provide for moving said pins toward and away from the bottom of the rack; the improvement comprising means for retaining said rotatably supported pins in at least one intermediate position extending at an angle to said bottom and partially surrounding and holding articles against the bottom of said rack to retain the articles in fixed relation while cleansing liquid is propelled against such articles.

Claim 3

A rack as defined in claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprise a member mounted on said rack and having means defining a plurality of angularly related detent sockets, and said rotatable support member includes an arm adapted to be selectively located within one of said sockets.

Claim 4

A rack as defined in claim 2 wherein said retaining member includes an arcuately shaped portion, and said detent sockets being arranged on said arcuately shaped portion.

Claim 5

A rack as defined in claim 2 wherein said retaining member comprises a molded plastic body having a series of integral ribs thereon forming said detent sockets.

Claim 6

A rack as defined in claim 1 including a longitudinally extending support member rigidly connecting said pins on said rotatable support member to effect reinforcement of said pins for firmly engaging the articles.

Claim 7

A rack as defined in claim 2, wherein said arm is torsionally connected to said one support member whereby said rotatably supported pins can be forcibly engaged with the articles as said arm is moved into one of said sockets.

Claim 8

In a rack for a dishwashing machine having a tank defining a chamber in which cleansing liquid is recirculated, and including an open mesh bottom formed by a plurality Of generally parallel spaced longitudinal support members extending from front to back of said chamber and connected to a series of generally parallel spaced lateral support members extending across said chamber, a series of generally parallel spaced upright pins secured to a plurality of said support members for receiving soiled articles to be cleaned, and means for rotatably supporting at least one of said parallel support members having a row of said pins thereon to provide for moving said pins between a collapsed position adjacent the bottom of the rack and said generally upright position, the improvement comprising means for retaining said rotatably supported pins in a plurality of angularly related intermediate positions between said upright and collapsed positions for firmly engaging lightweight articles resting on the bottom of said rack to hold the articles in fixed relation while the cleansing liquid is being recirculated.

Claim 9

In a rack for a dishwashing machine having a tank defining a chamber in which cleansing liquid is recirculated, and including an open mesh bottom formed by a plurality Of generally parallel spaced longitudinal support members extending from front to back of said chamber and connected to a series of generally parallel spaced lateral support members extending across said chamber, a series of generally parallel spaced upright pins secured to a plurality of said support members for receiving soiled articles to be cleaned, and means for rotatably supporting at least one of said parallel support members having a row of said pins thereon to provide for moving said pins between a collapsed position adjacent the bottom of the rack and said generally upright position, the improvement comprising means for retaining said rotatably supported pins in a plurality of angularly related intermediate positions between said upright and collapsed positions for firmly engaging lightweight articles resting on the bottom of said rack to hold the articles in fixed relation while the cleansing liquid is being recirculated.