Arrangement for safe storage of cutlery

A storage device for cutlery having blades attached to handles. The storage device includes a protective container having an immobilizer positioned substantially entirely within the protective container for immobilizing the cutlery. The protective container and the immobilizer are movable relative to each other from a position securing the cutlery thereby preventing the cutlery from being removed to a working position allowing the cutlery to be removed from the protective container.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to an arrangement for storage of cutlery, 
and more particularly to a protective container for safely storing knives. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The safe storage of cutlery has long been a problem, with various attempts 
being made to address this problem. From the German Utility Model 90 17 
412.7 U1, an arrangement for storage of knives is shown, whereby insertion 
shafts are provided in a block for the blades of the knives. Also provided 
is a pivotable clip which when moved to an end position, engages the knife 
handles and keeps them from falling out of the block. In a working 
position of this arrangement, in which the knives can be removed from the 
block, the clip is pivoted to a support leg position at an acute angle to 
the line of the insertion shafts. 
This arrangement has the disadvantage that safe storage of knives, in which 
the ability to touch the blade edges is prevented, is possible only when 
the clip fits the length of the knives. If relatively small knives are 
stored, they can be pulled out of the block to a certain extent from the 
storage position such that the blade edge is exposed. Since the 
arrangement is free standing, unintentional touching of the knife edge can 
occur. 
The object of the present invention is to enable safe storage of cutlery, 
and in particular for knives of differing lengths. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In an arrangement for storage of cutlery, and in particular for knives, a 
protective container in which is provided at least one movable retaining 
element immobilizing the blades, is provided according to the present 
invention. The movable retaining element and the protective container are 
movable relative to each other from a position protecting the cutlery to a 
working position. In the working position, the cutlery can be removed from 
and returned to the protective container. 
This arrangement has the advantage that cutlery items of differing lengths 
can be safely stored anywhere in the protective container since they are 
held in place by the blade and not by the handle. In this arrangement, the 
cutlery can also be readily removed because of the movability of the 
retaining elements. 
The protective container preferably has a base, two side walls, and a 
plurality of dividing walls. The walls run in the direction of the cutlery 
to be stored and have an overall width which is preferably somewhat larger 
than the height of the blades of the cutlery to be stored. 
In one embodiment, a magnetic rod with recesses for the knife blades, 
disposed at a right angle to the knife blades, is provided as the movable 
element. The magnetic rod is movably mounted in elongated holes in the 
walls of the protective container. The elongated holes run preferably at 
least almost at right angles to the direction of the walls. When the 
protective container lies with its base on a supporting surface, the 
magnetic rod lies at the lower end of the elongated holes and the cutlery 
is in a protected position in the protective container. By raising the 
magnetic rod the cutlery is lifted to a removal position, and the blades 
can be removed from the magnetic rod. 
In a preferred embodiment, the protective container has swing-out support 
legs for moving the container to an inclined position. The support legs 
are preferably disposed below the handles of the cutlery stored in the 
protective container. The support legs include a section to raise the 
knife handles to the inclined position of the protective container. This 
preferred embodiment has the additional advantage that by swinging the 
support legs out, the handles of the cutlery are simultaneously raised as 
well as the magnetic rod with the cutlery. This inclined position is thus 
also the working position. 
In an alternative embodiment for the storage of cutlery, and in particular 
for knives, a protective container is provided with at least one separated 
storage container for the cutlery. The protective container and the 
storage container are movable relative to each other from a safe position 
in which the cutlery cannot be removed to a working position. This 
relative movability of the storage container and the protective container 
means that the storage container is movable relative to the stationarily 
disposed protective container and the protective container is movable 
relative to the stationarily disposed storage container or that both are 
movable. It is, however, preferable that the storage container be movable 
relative to the protective container which is resting on a supporting 
surface. 
The advantage of this alternative embodiment is that the storage containers 
for the cutlery are not free standing but are themselves placed inside a 
container. If knives whose handles are so short that they can be pulled to 
a certain extent from the storage container, even in their safe position, 
there is no danger of injury from the blades since they are still inside 
the protective container. 
In the alternative embodiment, the end of the storage container for 
insertion of the knives can be pivoted out of the protective container by 
means of a pivotable lever. Thus the storage container, in the safe 
position, is in a largely closed container making removal of the knives 
virtually impossible. Only after pivoting the storage container out of the 
protective container on its insertion end can the cutlery be removed from 
the storage container. 
In one embodiment, the pivotable levers are disposed on a shaft upon which 
are also positioned supporting legs. The supporting legs can also be 
extended using the lever to raise the protective container to the inclined 
position. The levers can be disposed inside the protective container, 
whereas the supporting legs are provided on the sides outside the 
protective container. 
Alternatively, the pivotable levers can also serve as the support legs for 
moving the protective container to the inclined position. In this 
embodiment the levers are located in an opening in the base of the 
protective container, whereby the supporting legs fill the opening when 
the storage containers are pivoted into the safe position within the 
protective container. In the safe position, it is impossible to reach into 
the protective container from the bottom. 
The pivotable levers may lie loosely against the storage containers or be 
attached to it by a joint. In the former case, the storage containers are 
merely pivoted around a stationary axis of rotation. The stationary axis 
of rotation is preferably provided at the end of the storage container 
which is opposite the insertion opening of storage container. In the 
second case, the pivot point is the location of the axis of rotation of 
the storage container. In the rotation of the levers in the second case, 
the storage containers is both tilted and shifted in the direction 
opposite the insertion direction of the cutlery. 
In yet another embodiment, pivotable mounting of the storage container can 
also be effected in the protective container by including a pivotable 
magnetic rod through the protective container. The magnetic rod has a 
semi-circular cross section, whereby the flat portion rests on the storage 
containers and magnetically connects the storage container to the 
protective container. 
To immobilize the insertion end position of the protective container, stop 
elements are coordinated between the protective container and the 
pivotable levers to keep the protective container in the working position. 
Additional safety of the storage container in the storage position can be 
effected in that a removable rod-shaped safety element is provided above 
the pivotable storage container and running at a right angle to it. This 
additional safety element is advantageous when there is a danger that 
small children might have contact with the protective container. This 
safety element can also be designed as a steel knife sharpener.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
The storage device arrangement according to the invention in the embodiment 
of FIGS. 1 through 12 has a protective container 1, which consists of two 
side walls 2, 3 and a base 4 as well as six essentially identical dividing 
walls 5. FIG. 3 depicts side wall 2 and side wall 3 is essentially a 
mirror image of side wall 2. The side walls 2, 3 as well as the dividing 
walls 5 have a length which corresponds roughly to the length of the 
largest knife to be stored. In the crosswise direction, the heights of the 
walls have a somewhat larger dimension than the height of the knife 
blades. 
The walls mentioned each have an elongated hole 6 to accommodate a magnetic 
rod 7. The magnetic rod is secured against lateral displacement out of the 
storage device after insertion in the protective container 1 by safety 
rings 8 positioned on its ends. The safety rings are applied at a distance 
from the side walls 2, 3, on the magnetic rod 7 so the rod is movable 
within the elongated holes 6. The magnetic rod 7 has recesses 9 along its 
length each to accommodate a different one of knife blades 10. Only one 
blade 10 is depicted in FIGS. 7 and 12 respectively for clarity. 
The protective container further has pivotable support legs 11, which are 
disposed solidly on a shaft 11a which is pivotally mounted through the 
dividing walls 5 by holes 12. The supporting legs 11 have a section 13 to 
raise the knife handles 14 to an inclined position of the protective 
container 1. This inclined position represents the working position. 
For the additional safety of the knives in the protective container, a 
removable rod-shaped safety element 16 is disposed in holes 15 through 
walls 2 and 3 above the knife blades and running at right angles thereto 
in the protective container. In the present embodiment a ceramic knife 
sharpener is provided as such a safety element. 
The insertion of the knives in the protective container 1 occurs in the 
inclined position of the protective container depicted in FIG. 2, 9, and 
10. The knives are inserted with their blades 10 in the protective 
container and each is placed in one of the recesses 9 in the magnetic rod 
7. At this time, the magnetic rod is located in an upper position in the 
elongated holes 6 which may be seen in FIG. 2. 
For the safe storage of the knives, the supporting legs 11 are pivoted 
approx. 90.degree. into the position depicted in FIG. 1. Thus, the knife 
handles 14 and the magnetic rod 7 with the knife blades are lowered. The 
magnetic rod is now in the lower region of the elongated holes 6. The 
cutting edges of the knives are now directly on the base 4 and can no 
longer be touched. 
In order to further secure the knives, the safety element 16 can be 
introduced into the protective container 1 in this position. Since the 
safety element runs above the knife blades crosswise through the 
protective container, pivoting of the knives by means of the sections 13 
of the supporting legs 11 is not possible, i.e., the removal of the knives 
from their safe position is made increasingly difficult. The safety 
element thus represents, for example, additional child protection. 
To prevent the slippage of the protective container in its inclined 
position on a support surface, the protective container has a rubber stop 
17 on the end opposite the end with the supporting legs. 
In another embodiment according to FIG. 13 through 16, the arrangement 
according to the invention has a protective container 1 in which the four 
pivotable storage containers 18, which are connected to each other, are 
provided. The storage containers 18 have insertion openings 19 in an 
insertion end for the insertion of the knives to be stored. The storage 
containers 18 pivot on a shaft 20. A lever 21 to pivot the storage 
containers 18 is also provided in the protective container 1. The lever 21 
is seated on a shaft 22, on which supporting legs 23 are attached outside 
the protective container 1. 
In the safe position depicted in FIG. 13, 15, and 16, the storage 
containers 18 are inside the protective container 1. The knives in the 
storage containers cannot be removed in this position since the insertion 
openings 19 are covered by the front end 24 of the protective container 1. 
In this embodiment depicted, the knives, including their handles, are 
inside the storage containers. Alternatively, the insertion openings 19 do 
not have to be in the immediate vicinity of the front end, but can also be 
farther away, such that the handles are outside the storage containers. In 
this case, the openings of the storage containers have a cross-section 
such that the knives may be inserted only with the cutting edges facing 
downward. Even if the knives could somehow be pulled out in the safe 
position such that the cutting edges are outside the storage containers, 
the edges cannot be touched because the protective container is closed on 
the bottom in this region. 
The storage containers are additionally secured in their position in the 
protective container 1 by a safety element in the form of a steel knife 
sharpener 25. This steel knife sharpener is mounted in openings 26', 27' 
in the side walls 26, 27 of the protective container. 
Knives to be stored are inserted in the storage containers in a pivoted 
position of the storage containers 18, as is seen in FIGS. 14, 14a and in 
dashed lines in FIG. 15. This position is fixed by the lever 21, whereby 
the protective container simultaneously stands at an incline because of 
the extended supporting legs 23 which rests against stop element 23a. Legs 
23 are rotated against stop element 23a. Stop element 23a is positioned on 
the outside of the protective container. In this position a second stop 17 
positioned at the opposite end of the protective container, ensures a 
slip-free position of the protective container 1 with respect to the 
surface upon which the container is placed. 
If the storage containers are to be brought into the position in which 
removal of the knives is not possible, the supporting legs 23 are pivoted 
toward the back, whereby at the same time the lever 21 is pivoted forward 
into a horizontal position. Then the storage containers 18 lie in the 
horizontal position seen in FIG. 13, in which the insertion openings 19 
are covered by the front face 24. Next, the steel knife sharpener 25 is 
inserted as a safety element through the corresponding openings of the 
side walls 26, 27. 
If the storage containers are to be brought out of this safe position into 
the removal position, the operational steps mentioned are performed in 
reverse order. 
In the embodiment of FIG. 17 and 18, an alternative pivot mechanism is 
provided for the storage containers. Two supporting legs 28 are provided, 
which, in deviation from the preceding exemplary embodiment, are disposed 
inside the protective container rather than outside it. They are pivotally 
mounted in the region of a bottom 29 in the side walls 26, 27, whereby one 
arm 30 of the supporting leg 28 is used for the inclined position of the 
protective container 1, while the second arm 31 serves as a lever to raise 
the storage containers 18 out of the safe position into the removal 
position. The bottom 29 has in the region of the supporting legs 28 a 
recess 32 which enables their pivoting. The support legs 28 are pivoted 
counter-clockwise, to raise the storage containers to the inclined 
position, until second arm 31 rests against stop elements 31a. Stop 
elements 31a are rigidly secured to an inside surface of walls 26, 27. 
In the embodiment of FIG. 19 and 20, an alternative type of pivoting of the 
storage containers from that of the previously described embodiments is 
provided. Whereas in the previous embodiments, the storage containers are 
only pivoted, in the embodiment of FIG. 19 and 20, their simultaneous 
shifting is provided. For this, pivotable supporting legs 33 are disposed 
inside the protective container 1, as in the embodiment of FIG. 17 and 18. 
These supporting legs 33 also have one arm 34 for the inclined position of 
the protective container 1 and one arm 35 to pivot the storage containers 
18. The difference from the preceding embodiments consists in that the arm 
35 does not rest loosely on the storage containers but is instead attached 
thereto by a joint 36 such as by a pin or pivot. This represents the only 
direct connection of the storage containers to the protective container 1. 
Upon pivoting of the supporting legs 33 counterclockwise out of the 
position in FIG. 19 into the position depicted in FIG. 20, the storage 
containers are both pivoted and moved in the lengthwise direction. Arm 35 
can be rigidly secured in the raised position by the pulling together of 
magnets 35a and 35b. Magnet 35a is positioned on arm 35 and magnet 35b is 
positioned on an inside surface of the outside walls of the protective 
container. Magnets 35a and 35b act as a stop for the working position of 
the protective container. 
The embodiment of FIG. 21 and 22 discloses an additional possibility for 
the mounting of the storage containers 18. There, a pivotable rod-shaped 
magnet 37, extending perpendicular to the plane of the paper, which is 
mounted in the side walls 26, 27, of which only side wall 26 is shown, is 
disposed above the storage containers 18. The magnet has a semicircular 
cross-section, whereby the flat section of the semicircle rests on the 
storage containers. If the storage containers are not made of a 
ferromagnetic material, a ferromagnetic part (not shown) is provided on 
the storage containers in the region of the magnet. This embodiment has, 
compared to the previously described embodiments, the additional advantage 
that the storage containers can be taken out of the protective container. 
This may be advantageous, for example, for cleaning. 
The disclosure of attached German patent application 295 12 707.4, filed on 
Jul. 25, 1995 is incorporated fully herein by reference. Priority of this 
German application is claimed. 
Although the present invention has been described and illustrated with 
respect to five embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that it is not 
to be so limited, since changes and modifications may be made therein 
which are within the full intended scope of this invention as hereinafter 
claimed.