# US 4,395,749 A · Boat trailer lamp and license plate support

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- Number: US 4,395,749 A
- Document ID: US4395749A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/261,078
- Filed: 1981-05-06
- Granted: 1983-07-26
- Earliest claimed: 1981-05-06
- Inventors: George A. Poveromo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4395749A

## CPC

- B60P 3/10: for carrying boats {(for carrying sailboards B60R9/08, B63B32/80; equipment forming part of or attachable to vessels facilitating transport over land, e.g. wheel units, towing units, B63C13/00)}
- B60Q 1/305: {Indicating devices for towed vehicles}
- B60P: VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS (vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances A61G3/00)
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL

## Abstract

A boat trailer has a base plate attached to the trailer fender. A hollow bar is pivotably attached at one end to the base plate and releasably fastened near its opposite end to the rear of the fender. A bracket for supporting a lamp and license plate is attached at the opposite end of the bar. Electrical wires extend from the vehicle's electrical system through the bar to the lamp. The bar is fastened to the base in such a fashion that the lamp and license plate are repositionable from the rear of the trailer where the lamp and license plate are located during over-the-road travel to a position forward of the fender prior to launching a boat from the trailer. In this regard, the bar is released from the fender and rotated 180.degree. so that the lamp and license plate are forward of the fender whereby the lamp and associated electrical wiring will not contact the water during launching of the boat thus avoiding dangerous electrical conditions.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A boat trailer lamp and license plate support comprising:
a hollow base secured to the fender of said trailer;
a hollow bar spaced from said base a distance, said hollow bar attached to said base by a hinge member and in axial alignment therewith;
a lamp and license plate attached to said bar;
electric wiring extending from a power supply through said hollow base and said hollow bar to said lamp for lighting same; and
said hollow bar pivotable on said hollow base plate by said hinge so that the lamp and license plate may be positioned behind the trailer during over-the-road travel and repositioned forward of the trailer during launching of a boat therefrom whereby the lamp and electric wiring will not contact the water during launching.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A boat trailer lamp and license plate support as defined in claim 1, wherein:
said base is a solid bar attached to the fender by brackets.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A boat trailer lamp and license plate support as defined in claim 1, wherein:
said base is a unitary plate having a top horizontal portion and a lower downwardly and inwardly extending portion, said top horizontal portion secured to the upper horizontal surface of a trailer fender and said lower downwardly and inwardly extending portion secured to the lower portion of said fender.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A boat trailer lamp and license plate support as defined in claim 1, wherein:
said bar is hingedly attached to said base on a horizontal pivot axis whereby said bar may be rotated through a vertical arc from an over-the-road running position where the lamp and license plate are at the rear of the trailer to a position forward of the trailer fender during launching of a boat whereby the lamp will not contact the water thus avoiding dangerous electrical conditions.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A boat trailer lamp and license plate support as defined in claim 1, wherein:
said bar is pivotably attached to said base on a vertical pivot axis whereby said bar may be rotated through a horizontal arc from an over-the-road running position where the lamp and license plate are at the rear of the trailer to a position forward of the trailer fender whereby the lamp will not contact the water thus avoiding dangerous electrical conditions.

### Claim 6

A boat trailer lamp and identification indicia support comprising:
a base secured to the fender of said trailer;
a hollow bar pivotably attached to said base at one end thereof;
a bracket having an upper surface, a lower surface and parallel rearwardly extending arms;
said bracket attached to the opposite end of said bar by said arms;
a lamp attached to the upper surface of said bracket;
identification indicia attached to the lower surface of said bracket;
electrical wires extending from the vehicle's electrical system through said bar to said lamp for lighting same, and
said bar pivotable so that the lamp and identification indicia are repositionable from the rear of the trailer during over-the-road travel to a position forward of the trailer fender prior to launching of a boat whereby the lamp and associated electrical wiring will not contact the water thus avoiding deterioration of the lamp and electrical wiring and avoiding dangerous electrical conditions.