Patent attributes
A receiver and plate for removably mounting devices to a surface on a boat or other vehicle. The receiver's top surface opens into a vertical slot with tapering side walls. The separate plate slides into this slot. The separate plate has corresponding side walls that mate with the tapering side walls in the receiver. A pair of horizontal steps on the plate come to rest against the receiver's top surface. Although the side walls of the plate rest closely against the side walls of the slot in order to minimize relative motion, the mating of the pair of steps to the receiver's top surface prevents the plate from becoming jammed in the receiver. The plate is used as the base member for a variety of holding devices. Different plates can be configured to mount fishing rod holders, lighting masts, navigation equipments, radios, and the like. The user can easily interchange this equipment in a desired position on the boat by removing a plate with a first piece of equipment from the receiver and replacing it with a plate mounting a second piece of equipment. A locking device is optionally provided to lock the plate securely in the receiver.
