Collapsible and locking clothes hanger

A collapsible clothes hanger comprising:

• a central hook portion, the central hook portion including a hook element adapted for receiving a closet rod, and a helical torsion spring, the helical torsion spring pivotally connected to the central hook portion about a transverse pivoting axis;
• a first outwardly projecting hanger arm extending longitudinally between a distal end and a proximal end;
• a second outwardly projecting hanger arm extending longitudinally between a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end of the first outwardly projecting hanger arm and the proximal end of the second outwardly projecting hanger arm each pivotally connected to the central hook portion about the transverse pivoting axis;
• the helical torsion spring adapted to bias the first outwardly projecting hanger arm and the second outwardly projecting hanger arm into a first expanded position, the first outwardly projecting hanger arm generally horizontally opposed from the second outwardly projecting hanger arm in the first expanded position, each of the first outwardly projecting hanger arm and the second outwardly projecting hanger arm moveable to a second collapsed position, the first outwardly projecting hanger arm and the second outwardly projecting hanger arm oriented in a generally vertical and opposed manner in the second collapsed position;
• wherein the first outwardly projecting hanger arm includes a sliding component located between the proximal end and the distal end of the first outwardly projecting hanger arm, the sliding component longitudinally moveable between a first position and a second position, the sliding component including a downwardly projecting first catch, the sliding component biased into the first position by a spring;
• the second outwardly projecting hanger arm including a downwardly projecting second catch, the downwardly projecting first catch securely engaging the downwardly projecting second catch when the sliding component is in the first position, the downwardly projecting first catch disengaging the downwardly projecting second catch when the sliding component is in the second position;
• and
• the first outwardly projecting hanger arm and the second outwardly projecting hanger arm moving from the second collapsed position to the first expanded position when the downwardly projecting first catch is disengaged from the downwardly projecting second catch.