1974 chrysler 70hp tilt trim hinged plate purpose

[christo555]

new boat owner. just bought a 1974 chrysler sport sattilite open bow with a 1974 chrysler 70hp outboard engine model 707hf.
can someone tell me what the purpose of the spring loaded hinged plate that contacts the tilt bar is for ?
i want to use the boat by myself and i can barely lift/pull to tilt the engine to insert the tilt bar and if there is no one to help, i can't lower the motor and insert the bar at the same time.
seems to me that if i didn't have that spring loaded plate, i could just insert the bar to the tilt hole i wanted while the motor was locked in the up position, and then lower the motor.
i'm sure this question sounds really dumb to a lot of boat owners, but i am really new and dumb to this whole boat thing. everybody else i know that has a boat has powered tilt and trim motors and they have no idea of what to say for sure, just their opinion/guess.
thank you,
new dumb boat owner