Boat pole light base assembly

Claim 2

A base assembly for the pole light of a boat comprising: a base plate operable to be mounted upon and with a substantially unobstructive low profile along its entire length so as to extend along a portion of the deck of the boat, said base plate having a bore therethrough for telescopically receiving the bottom portion of said pole light, said bore being defined by side walls extending below said base plate and the upper surface of the deck of the boat, said side walls providing lateral support for the pole light in an unobstructive posture generally below said base plate and the upper surface of the deck of the boat; and a cover plate mounted on top of said base plate, said cover plate being horizontally slidable between a position where said cover plate covers said bore to minimize exposure of the bore to the reception of foreign material and a position where said cover plate exposes said bore for the reception of the base portion of the pole light within said bore.

Claim 3

The base assembly according to claim 1 which includes locking means associated with said cover plate for securing the bottom portion of said pole light within said bore upon sliding said cover plate toward said pole when said pole is inserted in said bore.

Claim 4

The base assembly according to claim 1 which includes locking means associated with said cover plate for securing said cover plate in position when said cover plate is slid to a position covering said bore.

Claim 5

The base assembly according to claim 3 wherein said locking means further functions for securing the bottom portion of said pole light within said bore upon sliding said cover plate toward said pole when said pole is inserted in said bore.

Claim 6

The base assembly of claim 1 which further comprises electrical contact means in the bottom of said bore which makes electrical contAct with corresponding electrical contact means in the bottom of said pole light when the bottom portion of said pole light is inserted in said bore.

Claim 7

A base assembly for a pole light comprising: a base plate having a bore therethrough for telescopically receiving the bottom portion of said pole light, said bore being defined by side walls extending below said base plate; a cover plate mounted on top of said base plate, said cover plate being horizontally slidable between a position where said cover plate covers said bore and a position where said cover plate exposes said bore; and locking means associated with said cover plate for securing said cover plate in position when said cover plate is slid to a position covering said bore and for securing the bottom portion of said pole light within said bore upon sliding said cover plate toward said pole when said pole is inserted in said bore, said locking means including a clip member pivotally mounted on said base plate so as to be pivotable by said cover plate away from said bore so that the bottom portion of said pole light can be inserted in said bore, toward said pole light to frictionally engage the pole of said pole light when the bottom portion of said pole light is inserted in said bore, and beneath said cover plate for frictional engagement therewith when said cover plate is slid to a position covering said bore.

Claim 8

A base assembly for a pole light comprising: a base plate having a bore therethrough for telescopically receiving the bottom portion of said pole light, said bore being defined by side walls extending below said base plate; a cover plate mounted on top of said base plate, said cover plate being horizontally slidable between a position where said cover plate covers said bore and a position where said cover plate exposes said bore; and locking means associated with said cover plate for securing said cover plate in position when said cover plate is slid to a position covering said bore and for securing the bottom portion of said pole light within said bore upon sliding said cover plate toward said pole when said pole is inserted in said bore, said locking means including a clip member pivotally mounted on said base plate so as to be pivotable by said cover plate away from said bore so that the bottom portion of said pole light can be inserted in said bore, toward said pole light to frictionally engage the pole of said pole light when the bottom portion of said pole light is inserted in said bore, and beneath said cover plate for frictional engagement therewith when said cover plate is slid to a position covering said bore.

Claim 9

The base assembly of claim 6 wherein said clip member comprises a first end portion for pivotally mounting said clip member with means engageable by said cover plate for pivoting said clip member, the other end portion of said clip member being a locking portion, said two end portions being connected by a connecting portion; said locking portion comprising a generally hook-shaped flange opening in the direction of said first end portion and above said connecting portion, the upper portion of said flange being curvilinear with the section thereof nearest said first end portion of said clip bowing outwardly from said connecting portion and the remaining section bowing inwardly toward said connecting portion; and wherein said cover plate includes detent means on the top surface thereof nearest said bore engageable by said inwardly bowing section of said flange of said clip member when the end of said cover plate nearest said bore is urged between said hook-shaped flange and said connecting portion of said clip member when the bottom portion of said pole light is in said bore to lock said bottom portion of said pole light within said bore; detent means on the under surface of said cover plate which registers with and engages said outwardly bowing portion of said flange of said clip member when said cover plate is slid over said clip member to a position covering said bore to lock said cover plate in this covering position; and a protrusion extending below said cover plate which engages said pivoting means on said first end of said clip member to pivot said clip member away from said bore so that the bottom portion of said pole light can be inserted in said bore.

Claim 10

A base and pole light assembly comprising: a pole light; a base plate having a bore therethrough for telescopically receiving the bottom portion of said pole light, said bore being defined by side walls extending below said base plate; a cover plate mounted on top of said base plate, said cover plate being horizontally slidable between a position where said cover plate covers said bore and a position where said cover plate exposes said bore; and locking means associated with said cover plate for securing said cover plate in position when said cover plate is slid to a position covering said bore and for securing the bottom portion of said pole light within said bore upon sliding said cover plate toward said pole when said pole is inserted in said bore, said locking means including a clip member pivotally mounted on said base plate so as to be pivotable by said cover plate away from said bore so that the bottom porTion of said pole light can be inserted in said bore, toward said pole light to frictionally engage the pole of said pole light when the bottom portion of said pole light is inserted in said bore, and beneath said cover plate for frictional engagement therewith when said cover plate is slid to a position covering said bore.

Claim 11

A base and pole light assembly comprising: a pole light; a base plate having a bore therethrough for telescopically receiving the bottom portion of said pole light, said bore being defined by side walls extending below said base plate; a cover plate mounted on top of said base plate, said cover plate being horizontally slidable between a position where said cover plate covers said bore and a position where said cover plate exposes said bore; and locking means associated with said cover plate for securing said cover plate in position when said cover plate is slid to a position covering said bore and for securing the bottom portion of said pole light within said bore upon sliding said cover plate toward said pole when said pole is inserted in said bore, said locking means including a clip member pivotally mounted on said base plate so as to be pivotable by said cover plate away from said bore so that the bottom porTion of said pole light can be inserted in said bore, toward said pole light to frictionally engage the pole of said pole light when the bottom portion of said pole light is inserted in said bore, and beneath said cover plate for frictional engagement therewith when said cover plate is slid to a position covering said bore.

Claim 12

The base assembly of claim 8 which further comprises electrical contact means in the bottom of said bore which makes electrical contact with corresponding electrical contact means in the bottom of said pole light when the bottom portion of said pole light is inserted in said bore.

Claim 13

The base assembly of claim 9 wherein the pole of said pole light has a lateral protrusion and said bore has a locater detent portion operable to receive a corresponding lateral protrusion of the pole of said pole light so that when said pole is inserted in said bore with said lateral protrusion fitting in said detent portion, said electrical contact means in the bottom of said bore will be properly oriented with the electrical contact means in the bottom of said pole to make proper electrical contact.

Claim 14

The base assembly of claim 10 wherein said lateral protrusion is vertically located on said pole so as to provide an upper ledge portion for abutting said clip member when said clip member frictionally engages said pole.

Claim 15

The base assembly of claim 8 wherein the bottom portion of said pole is enlarged to provide an upper ledge portion for abutting said clip member when said clip member frictionally engages said pole.

Claim 16

A base and pole light assembly for a boat comprising: a pole light having electrical contact means at the bottom thereof; a base plate operable to be mounted upon and with a substantially unobstructive low profile along its entire length so as to extend along a portion of the deck of the boat, said base plate having a bore therethrough for telescopically receiving the bottom portion of said pole light, said bore being defined by side walls extending below said base plate and the upper surface of the deck of the boat, said side walls providing lateral support for the pole light in an unobstructive posture generally below said base plate and the upper surface of the deck of the boat; electrical contact means in the bottom of said bore for making electrical contact with the electrical contact means of said pole light when it is inserted into said bore; and a cover plate mounted on top of said base plate, said cover plate being horizontally slidable between a position where said cover plate covers said bore to minimize exposure of the bore to the reception of foreign material and a position where said cover plate exposes said bore for the reception of the base portion of the pole light within said bore.

Claim 17

A base and pole light assembly for a boat comprising: a pole light having electrical contact means at the bottom thereof; a base plate operable to be mounted upon and with a substantially unobstructive low profile along its entire length so as to extend along a portion of the deck of the boat, said base plate having a bore therethrough for telescopically receiving the bottom portion of said pole light, said bore being defined by side walls extending below said base plate and the upper surface of the deck of the boat, said side walls providing lateral support for the pole light in an unobstructive posture generally below said base plate and the upper surface of the deck of the boat; electrical contact means in the bottom of said bore for making electrical contact with the electrical contact means of said pole light when it is inserted into said bore; and a cover plate mounted on top of said base plate, said cover plate being horizontally slidable between a position where said cover plate covers said bore to minimize exposure of the bore to the reception of foreign material and a position where said cover plate exposes said bore for the reception of the base portion of the pole light within said bore.

Claim 18

The base assembly of claim 13 wherein the pole of said pole light has a lateral protrusion and said bore has a locater detent portion corresponding to said protrusion so that when said pole is inserted in said bore with said lateral protrusion fitting in said detent portion, said electrical contact means in the bottom of said bore will be properly oriented with the electrical contact means in the bottom of said pole to make proper electrical contact.