Abstract:
A secure holding system for displaying and securing standards (stands to which nets used for volleyball, tennis, badminton, etc. are attached) when not in use. The system comprises a rack which can be mounted upon a wall, and which has a bottom piece whose front section opens downwardly and forwardly from its stationary back section by means of hinges and stops.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The field of the invention is secure holding systems for standards. 
     Standards are aluminum poles used to hold nets (for volleyball, tennis, badminton, etc.) in position while those sports are being played. Often the same gymnasium is also used for basketball and other sports that do not require these nets. Therefore the standards must be stored and secured out of the way in order to prevent injuries and theft. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a standard secure holder system. The device comprises a rack which can be mounted on a wall off of the floor. The rack has a stationary top piece, and a bottom piece which has a stationary back section and a moveable front section which opens by means of hinges and can be held open at approximately a ninety degree angle by means of stops positioned along the hinges, in order to put the standards into the rack or remove the standards from the rack. Internally there are a series of partitions which form boxes to hold each standard in position. The rack can be locked by means of a hasp and padlock. 
     An advantage of the invention is that the standards cannot be physically removed while the rack is closed (even if unlocked) because of the tight tolerances of the boxes and the circular openings into which the standards fit, thus providing secure storage. 
     Another advantage is that all the standards can be seen while in the storage rack, thus allowing them to be counted for easy accountability. 
     Another advantage is that the standards can be stored off of the playing surface of the gymnasium when not in use (thus reducing the risk of injury) but can be readily accessible when needed. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the bottom piece in open position, showing the top, end, and inside of the bottom piece. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bottom, end, and back of the bottom piece in closed position. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The system has a bottom piece  1  which includes a back section  2  which is stationary and a front section  3  which can be opened forwardly and downwardly from the back section  2 . The system also includes a top piece (not shown) which is stationary and which has circular slots in its undersurface for the standards (one slot for each standard). The system can be mounted on the wall of a gymnasium (above the floor, with the top piece and the bottom piece in vertical spaced relationship to each other) by conventional means, such as lead anchors and bolts (not shown) disposed through openings in the top piece and also through the openings  51  in the back section  2  of the bottom piece  1 . The standards extend vertically from the top piece to the bottom piece  1  when stored in the system. 
     The bottom piece  1  has a top panel  11 , two end panels  14 , a back panel  23 , a bottom panel  24 , and a front panel  47 . The bottom piece  1  has a series of large circular openings  7  formed through its top panel  11 . A slot  12  connects the centers of the circular openings  7 , forming the dividing line between the back section  2  and the front section  3  of the bottom piece  1 . The slot  12  then continues down each end panel  14  of the bottom piece  1 , in a zigzag pattern that is vertical for a short distance, then diagonal, then vertical again, so that the slot  12  is off-center on the end panels  14 . 
     The circular openings  7  are of a size that the standards will fit snugly into them when the bottom piece  1  is in the closed position. The number of openings  7  and the overall length of the bottom piece  1  (and top piece) will vary in different models of the system depending upon how many standards are planned to be stored (one standard per opening  7 ). The model shown in the figures, which has six openings  7 , is about four feet long. 
     Internally, a series of partitions  15  are positioned vertically in the back section  2  of the bottom piece  1 , extending from the underside of the top panel  11  to the top surface of the base  17 . The number of partitions  15  corresponds to the number of openings  7 , and the partitions  15  are located midway between each opening  7 . The partitions  15  define a series of boxes  21  (one box for each standard). The ledge  17  which is the base of the back section  2  bears the weight of the standards. A plurality of screws  22  are countersunk into the back panel  23  and the bottom panel  24  of the back section  2 , extending into the partitions  15  and the ledge  17  in order to provide additional strength. 
     A hinge  25  extends along the bottom panel  24  of the bottom piece  1 , allowing the front section  3  to be flipped open forwardly and downwardly from the stationary back section  2 . The hinge  25  is screwed (by screws  45 ) to the bottom panel  24  of both the front section  3  and the back section  2 . The standards can be removed from, or be placed into, the bottom piece  1  when it is in open position. If the hinge  25  were free swinging, the front section  3  would open to about a one hundred seventy degree angle. However, in order to reduce risk of injury to personnel who are handling the standards, the hinge  25  is designed to open only to an angle of about ninety degrees. This is accomplished by means of a plurality of stops  27  positioned along the hinge  25  to limit its movement. Each stop  27  is formed as a flat piece  31  which is screwed, by means of screws  32 , into the plate  33  of the hinge  25  on the back section  2  of the bottom piece  1 , and a curved piece  34  which extends above the moveable part of the hinge  25  in spaced relationship thereto and contacts the plate  35  of the hinge  25  on the front section  3  when it is opened to its maximum width. 
     A hasp  37  is provided for opening and closing the bottom piece  1 . The stationary projection  41  of the hasp  37  is mounted on the front section  3 . The partially pivotable tongue  42  is mounted on the back section  2 , and has an opening  43  into which the projection  41  fits when the bottom piece  1  is in the closed position. A conventional padlock (not shown) can be placed through an opening  44  in the projection  41  if additional security is desired but it is not really necessary due to the difficulty in removing the standards when the bottom piece  1  is in the closed position. To open the front section  3 , the tongue  42  of the hasp  37  is flipped upward and backward off of the projection  41 . 
     The top piece and the bottom piece are preferably made of wood. The hinge, stops, and hasp are preferably made of metal.