Abstract:
An apparatus for connecting a lantern and a fuel source for a lantern to a boat for attracting fish to the boat, the apparatus including an elongated pipe for conveying fuel from a fuel reservoir to a fuel-burning lantern, the elongated pipe having a first end and a second end, first end of pipe being adapted to receive a lantern, the second end of the elongated pipe being adapted to receive fuel from a fuel reservoir, and a pipe holder connected to boat for holding the elongated pipe and lantern, the pipe holder being adapted to position the lantern at a distance away from the side of the boat over the water in which the boat may be floating to attract fish to the area beneath said lantern.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates lights which may be attached to boats. In particular, the present invention relates to lights which may be attached to boats to attract fish. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus for connecting lanterns to a boat in a position to attract fish. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     It is known in the art to attach lights to boats, and to attach lights to boats to attract fish to the boats. 
     Exemplary of the Patents of the related art are the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 51,120; 173,140; 713,364; 756,438; 902,313; 1,079,808; 3,008,679; 3,752,108; 4,587,603; 4,709,980; 4,827,389; 4,856,452; 5,335,149; 5,486,987; and 5,508,895. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention there is provided an apparatus for quickly and easily connecting a lantern and a fuel reservoir for a lantern to a boat for attracting fish to the boat. The apparatus includes an elongated pipe having a lantern at its distal end and a fuel reservoir at the other end, a pipe holder connected to said pipe by a pipe connector, and a member for holding and receiving said pipe holder. 
     The present invention has the advantage of enabling a lantern fueled by a fuel such as propane gas to be quickly and easily connected to a fishing vessel in a position extending outwardly from the fishing vessel to attract fish. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective, exploded view partly cut away of the first embodiment of the fishing light of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective partly cut away view of the fishing light of the invention attached to a boat; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective partly cut away view of the second embodiment of the invention showing the fishing light of the second embodiment connected to a boat; 
     FIG. 4 is a third embodiment of the invention showing the fishing light of the invention connected to the boat; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view partly cut away of a fourth embodiment of the invention showing fishing lights connected to a boat; and 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective partly cut away exploded view of a connector for the fishing light of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, in FIG. 1 is shown the first embodiment of the fishing light of the invention generally indicated by the numeral 10. Fishing light 10 includes an elongated hollow pipe generally indicated by the numeral 12 which is connected to a pipe holder assembly generally indicated by the numeral 14. 
     Pipe holder assembly 14 is slidably received in a deck flange generally indicated by the numeral 16. Deck flange 16 is connected to the deck generally indicated by the numeral 18 of a fishing boat. 
     Connected to the inner end of pipe 12 is a lantern fuel reservoir or storage vessel generally indicated by the numeral 20. Fuel storage vessel 20 may be a conventional disposable propane bottle well known in the art. Fuel storage vessel 20 as shown in the drawings is a conventional disposable propane bottle having male threads 20a located on the upper end thereof for threading bottle 20 into the fuel bottle fitting generally indicated by the numeral 21. 
     Fuel bottle fitting 21 is a conventional fitting well known in the art for connecting a conventional fuel bottle such as fuel bottle 20 to a lantern such as the lantern generally indicated by the numeral 32. Fitting 21 has a hollow cylinder 21a on the bottom thereof having internal female threads for receipt of male threads 20a. Fitting 21 also has a hollow stem 21b for contacting and depressing a conventional valve (not shown) located inside the male threads 20a of fuel storage bottle 20 to convey fuel under superatmospheric pressure from bottle 20 through hollow stem 21b, through fitting 21 and through the inside of male threads 21c to an item connected to threads 21c such as a lantern or the female threads of conventional pipe elbow 26. Threads 21c are received in female threads in pipe fitting 26. Fitting 21 has a hexagonal center section 21c as is well known in the art for receipt of a wrench for turning fitting 21. 
     Pipe elbow 26 is preferably connected to a conventional valve 28 having a valve handle 30 connected thereto for controlling the flow of fuel to lantern 32. Valve 28 has female threads (not shown) on each end thereof for receipt of male threads (not shown) on the end of pipe elbow 26 and pipe 12. Valve handle 30 may be rotated backwards and forwards 90 degrees as indicated by the arrow 30a in FIG. 2 to open and close valve 28. If desired, valve 28 could be omitted and the flow of fuel to lantern 32 could be regulated by valve 32b. 
     At the distal end of pipe 12 is conventional elbow fitting 27 which is preferably identical to elbow fitting 26. Lantern 32 is preferably connected to elbow fitting 27 by a conventional pipe fitting generally indicated by the numeral 34. Fitting 34 has male threads 34a and 34b at each end thereof and a hexagonal center section 34c as is well known in the art for receipt of a wrench for turning fitting 34. Male threads 34a are received in the female threads 27a in elbow fitting 27 and male threads 34b of fitting 34 are received in the conventional female threads 32c in the bottom of lantern 32. 
     Lantern 32 may be any conventional bottled gas fired lantern well known in the art. Typical lanterns are fueled by compressed gas such as propane gas contained in fuel bottle 20. 
     Lantern 32 preferably has two mantels 32a which glow brightly when ignited as is known to those skilled in the art and project an intense beam of light onto the water surrounding the boat to which the light of the invention is attached. Lantern 32 has a conventional valve 32b which may be rotated to control the amount of fuel flowing to lantern 32 and thereby control the intensity the light being emitted from lantern 32. 
     Pipe holder assembly 14 has a vertical bar 14a which has a pipe support member 14b connected at a right angle thereto. A pipe clamp 14c is connected by hinge 14d to pipe support member 14b. Pipe clamp 14c has a hole 14e therein for receipt of wing nut 36. Pipe support member 14b has a threaded hole 14f therein for receipt of threads 36a of wing nut 36. 
     To connect pipe 12 to pipe holder assembly 14, pipe 12 is placed onto pipe support member 14b and pipe clamp 14c is rotated thereover. Wing nut 36 is then placed through hole 14e and threaded into hole 14f to secure pipe 12 to 14. 
     Connected to the deck 18 of the boat generally indicated by the numeral 38 in FIG. 2 is deck flange 16. Deck flange 16 has a slot or opening 16a in the top thereof for slidable receipt of vertical bar 14a. Slot 16a is located in horizontal plate 16b of deck flange 16. 
     Located beneath horizontal plate 16b of deck flange 16 in alignment therewith is sleeve 16c which receives vertical bar 14a. Plate 16b has a plurality of holes 16d therein for receipt of screws or bolts 16e which fasten deck flange 16 to the deck 18 of bolt 38. A slot 18a is located in deck 18 for receipt of sleeve 16c. 
     It can thus be seen that after deck flange 16 is mounted to the deck 18 of a bolt 38 the fishing light apparatus of the invention can be quickly and easily connected to the deck flange 16. 
     In FIG. 3 is shown a second embodiment of the fishing light of the invention generally indicated by the numeral 40. In the second embodiment of the invention pipe holder assembly 14 is replaced by a U-shaped pipe holder assembly generally indicated by the numeral 42. U-shaped pipe holder assembly 42 has two parallel vertical bars 42a and 42b which are identical in size and shape. Vertical bars 42a and 42b are rigidly connected to horizontal bar 42c. 
     Horizontal bar 42c has a plurality of holes 42d therein for receipt of a boat seat pedestal 44 shown in phantom lines in FIG. 3. Boat seat pedestal 44 is a conventional boat seat pedestal well known in the art which is used to support a seat 47 in which the fisherman sits. Boat seat pedestal 44 is slidably received in a cylindrical sleeve 45 located in the deck 18 of the boat. The remainder of the components of the invention are the same and are numbered by the same numerals as the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     Pipe 12 preferably has a length ranging from two to four feet so that the lantern 32 is displaced outwardly from the side or gunwale of boat 38 a distance sufficient to enable the light being emitted from lantern 32 to strike the water adjacent to boat 38 and attract fish to the vicinity of boat 38. Furthermore, as can be seen in the drawings, the holding devices for holding pipe 12 are located near the sides 38a or gunwales 38b of boat 38. 
     U-shaped pipe holder assembly 42 has the advantage of holding two lanterns 32--32 on each side of boat 38 as shown in FIG. 3. Furthermore, U-shaped pipe holder assembly 42 is quickly and easily connected to boat 38 by simply removing seat 47 and pedestal 44, placing one of the holes 42d of horizontal bar 42c of U-shaped pipe holder assembly 42 over the hole (not shown) in the deck 18 above sleeve 45 shown in FIG. 3, and inserting pedestal 44 through hole 42d of horizontal bar 42c into sleeve 45. 
     In FIG. 4 is shown a third embodiment of the invention having an L-shaped pipe holder assembly generally indicated by the numeral 48. L-shaped pipe holder assembly 48 a vertical bar 48a rigidly connected to horizontal bar 48b. Horizontal bar 48b has a plurality of holes 48c therein for receipt of a boat seat pedestal 44. 
     The remainder of the components of the invention are the same and are numbered by the same numerals as the embodiments shown in FIG. 3. L-shaped pipe holder assembly 48 has the advantage of holding a single lantern 32 on one side of boat 38 as shown in FIG. 4. L-shaped pipe holder assembly 48 is quickly and easily connected to boat 38 by simply removing seat 47 and pedestal 44, placing one of the holes 48c of horizontal bar 48b of L-shaped pipe holder assembly 48 over the hole (not shown) in the deck 18 above sleeve 45 shown in FIG. 3, and inserting pedestal 44 through hole 48c of horizontal bar 48b into sleeve 45. 
     A fourth embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 5 wherein fuel conveying pipes and lantern holders are permanently attached to boat 38. The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 employs a single source of fuel which can be a large bottle of propane gas generally indicated by the numeral 50. 
     Propane gas bottle 50 is placed in the preferably in the rear or stern of boat 38. A gas line 52 which may be flexible is connected to a conventional T-shaped pipe fitting 54. Two fuel conveying pipes 56 and 58 are connected to fitting 54 and extend in opposite directions therefrom. Pipes 56 and 58 are connected by conventional elbow pipe fittings 56a and 58a, respectively, to two vertical fuel conveying pipes 62 and 60, respectively. Vertical pipes 60 and 62 are connected by elbow fitting 60a and 62a to two horizontal pipes 64 and 66, respectively. Pipes 64 and 66 each have a conventional T-shaped pipe fitting 64a and 66a, respectively, connected thereto, having horizontal pipes 68 and 70, respectively, extending horizontally therefrom. 
     Extending upwardly from T-shaped pipe fittings 64a and 66a preferably are conventional pipe couplings referred to in the art as &#34;quick connect&#34; couplings 64b and 66b. Quick connect couplings are well known to those skilled in the art and are used to connect a fuel source to a fuel user quickly and without leakage. Furthermore, no fuel can leak from the quick connect coupling when fuel pressure is applied thereto. 
     Horizontal pipes 68 and 70 may be secured to the sides or gunwale of boat 38 by any conventional methods known in the art such as clamping, bolting, tying, gluing or the like. Pipes 68 and 70 extend down the length of the sides of boat 38 to two T-shaped pipe fittings 68a and 70a, respectively. Extending upwardly from T-fittings 68a and 70a are conventional quick connect couplings 68b and 70b, respectively. 
     Each of the couplings 68b and 70b, and couplings 64b and 66b, can receive a male fitting 72 which extends downwardly from elbow 46a. Elbow 46a is connected to valve 28 as shown in FIG. 5. Valve 28 regulates the flow of fuel through pipe 12 to lantern 32 as explained above. 
     Extending outwardly from fittings 68a and 70a are pipes 74 and 76, respectively. Pipes 74 and 76 have caps 74a and 76a on the ends thereof to prevent leakage of fuel therefrom. 
     It can thus be seen that the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 provides for a permanent connection of piping and fittings which enable up to four lanterns to be extended from the sides of a boat 38. Furthermore, the embodiment of FIG. 5 utilizes a single large reservoir of fuel 50 for supplying fuel to all of the lanterns 32 to be utilized. The lantern and pipe assemblies can be quickly connected to the pipes and up to four lanterns may be utilized as desired. 
     In FIG. 6 is shown an alternate connecting embodiment of the invention which may be utilized with pipe holder assembly 14 or pipe holder assembly 42 to replace clamp 14c. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 a quick connect coupling 80 connected to the pipe holder assembly generally indicated by the numeral 15 is used as a mechanical fitting only to support the lantern 32 and pipe 12 assembly. Quick connect coupling 80 is connected to pipe support member 15b by extending the threaded base 80a of coupling 80 through hole 15f and fastening a nut 80b thereto. Quick connect coupling 80 receives a vertically oriented male fitting 82 which is connected to T-shaped pipe fitting 84. Fitting 82 is plugged to prevent the flow of fuel therethrough. The embodiment of FIG. 6 may be used in place of hinges 14d and clamps 14c. 
     Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail above, it should be understood that the invention is in no sense limited thereby, and its scope is to be determined by that of the following claims: