Patent ID: 8776379

Claim:
An elongated apparatus for releasably retaining a plurality of cutlery utensils in a grouping, the apparatus comprising: an elongated base having a longitudinal axis; and at least one protrusion extending from the elongated base, wherein the at least one protrusion comprises a ridge or a recess extending longitudinally in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated base and configured to abut and removably couple a respective handle ends of a plurality of cutlery utensils to the at least one protrusion, wherein coupling of the handle ends of the cutlery utensils to the at least one protrusion occurs via movement of the handle ends along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the elongated base, and wherein upon coupling of the handle ends of the cutlery utensils to the at least one protrusion, the cutlery utensils are is restricted from rotating about the longitudinal axis of the elongated base; wherein the one protrusion comprises a ridge or recess extending longitudinally substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated base such that the respective handle ends of said plurality of cutlery utensils is configured to abut and removably couple to said protrusion and said ridge or recess.