Hindsight viewer for hunters

A simple portable rearview mirror apparatus for hunters which can be used on the ground or above the ground by being attached to a tree or other object. The apparatus which can be made of wood, plastic or metal includes a hollow rectangular box frame having opposing side walls attached to a back wall and a top wall. A reflective mirror is hingedly attached at its bottom end within the frame interior to the lower interior of the side walls and is slidably mounted at its top end within opposing swivel slot arch shaped openings provided on the upper side walls surface. The mirror moves back and forth by means of attachments riding within the swivel openings to give a upper and lower view of the background. The apparatus is used at ground level by being supported by a rod inserted into the ground which is secured to a locking element releasably attached to the back wall. A fastening cord which is looped through the apparatus allows it to be tied to an object above the ground such as a tree.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The invention relates to a portable rearview mirror apparatus and, more 
particularly, a portable combined ground and above ground enclosed 
rearview mirror apparatus for hunters to view the area in the rear for 
approaching animals. 
2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
When hunting game animals, such as deer, a hunter usually will take a 
relatively concealed position in the woods and wait quietly for the 
animals to appear. The position taken is generally on the ground or in a 
elevated viewing spot such as up in a tree. In either position, the 
hunter's body movement must be restricted and remain quiet in order not to 
scare off approaching animals. The result is that the hunter can only see 
the animals that appear in the front line of vision and is not aware of 
what is happening to the rear. Naturally it would be a great benefit to 
the hunter to have a device which would allow him to view the area to the 
rear while in either position. 
Hunters are known to use mirror devices in order to view the area in back 
of them while hunting. U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,811 discloses a ground level 
positioned rear view mirror device open at the sides having a top cover. 
The device appears to be useable only at ground level and is opened at the 
sides. U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,479 discloses an above ground positioned 
rearview mirror device having a central mirror portion and mounted side 
mirror portions. The device appears to be open on all sides and its 
central mirror portion appears to have a limited vertical pivoting 
adjustment. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
There is a need for a simple rearview mirror for hunters that is portable 
and which is adaptable to for use on the ground but also above the ground 
such as by being attached to a tree. The mirror portion of the apparatus 
should be enclosed to prevent reflections not only from the top but also 
from the sides and thus prevent any reflections which would scare off the 
animals as well as protecting the mirror portion from the elements. The 
entire mirror apparatus should be compact and light weight to be easily 
handled and carried by the hunter. The apparatus should be durable so as 
to withstand constant manipulation and exposure to the elements. Further, 
the structure should be so simplified that it can be easily disassembled 
as required for easy maintenance. Finally, the mirror should be easy to 
operate and give a wide area of rear view. 
The present invention is directed to a simple portable rearview mirror 
apparatus for hunters which can be used on the ground or above the ground 
by being attached to a tree or other object. The apparatus which can be 
made of wood, plastic or metal includes a hollow rectangular box frame 
having opposing side walls attached to a back wall and a top wall. A 
reflective mirror is hingedly attached at its bottom end within the frame 
interior to the lower interior of the side walls and is slidably mounted 
at its top end within opposing swivel slot arch shaped openings provided 
on the upper side walls surface. The mirror moves back and forth by means 
of attachments riding within the swivel openings to give a upper and lower 
view of the background. The apparatus is used at ground level by being 
supported by a rod inserted into the ground which is secured to a locking 
element releasably attached to the back wall. A fastening cord which is 
looped through the apparatus allows it to be tied to an object above the 
ground such as a tree.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Shown in FIG. 1 is an exterior view of mirror apparatus 10 of the invention 
lieing on its back wall 28. The mirror apparatus as shown includes a 
reflective mirror 12 facing upwardly slidably mounted within a frame 14 on 
side walls 26 by a screw attachments 16. Locking element 20 is shown 
disassembled from seat chamber 64. Locking element 20 is tied to the frame 
by a linking cord 22 and will be further described below. A fastening cord 
24 is looped through the frame and extends outwardly from side walls 26. 
The frame may be made of wood, metal or plastic and may have a camouflaged 
surface to blend in with the surroundings. 
FIG. 2 is a view of mirror apparatus 10 according to the invention having 
lock assembly attached to the apparatus. Shown herein is frame 14 having 
the form of a hollow rectangular box. The frame includes opposing side 
walls 26 fixedly secured to back wall 28 and top wall 30 by screws 32 but 
other securing means such as bolts, molding or equivalent securing means 
may be used. The frame as shown is open at the bottom however it may have 
a bottom wall if desired. Side walls 26 provide serrated rear edges 34 for 
improving the grip of the apparatus when attached to an above ground 
object by fastening cord 24. Reflective mirror 12 provides a reflective 
mirror surface 36 which may be a reflective mirror of glass, plastic or 
metal which is laminated or otherwise fixed to a base 38. Reflective 
mirror 12 is hingedly attached within frame 14 to the lower interior of 
opposing side walls 26 by screws 40 which hingedly secure mirror base 38 
to the lower interior of the side walls. Other types of securing means may 
be used which would hingedly secure the mirror base to the side walls. An 
overlapping lip 42 is secured to the central upper portion of the 
reflective mirror as one means to manipulate the mirror back and forth. 
As seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 6, each side wall 26 has an opposing swivel 
slot 44 which provides an arch shaped opening in its upper side wall 
surface. Slidably mounted within each swivel slot 44 and in movable 
contact with reflective mirror 12 is screw attachment 16 which includes 
washer 46 and elongated screw 48 having a winged upper end 50 and an 
elongated threaded stem 52 extending therefrom. Screw attachment 16 is 
releasably fixed to reflective mirror 12 by passing elongated threaded 
stem 52 horizontally through washer 46 contained on the outside of swivel 
slot 44 and through the swivel slot opening wherein elongated threaded 
stem 52 is threadedly secured within threaded base cavity 55 in the upper 
portion of base 38 of the reflective mirror as seen in FIG. 3. Stable 
positioning of the mirror is by side pressure by tightening the elongated 
screws 48 by turning the winged upper end 50. Threaded cavity 55 of 
reflective mirror base 38 is centrally aligned with arch shaped swivel 
slot 44 opening which is made larger than the diameter of the screw stem 
whereby elongated threaded stem 52 swings within the open space within the 
arch shaped opening but does not engage the edges of the swivel slot. 
Fastening cord 24 is used to tie the apparatus to a tree or other above 
ground objects. The fastening cord is looped through opposing apertures 54 
positioned on each side wall which directs the fastening cord to pass 
behind the reflective mirror within frame 14. A second cord, linking cord 
22, is secured within one sidewall where it is looped through linking 
aperture 56 to tie locking element 20 to the frame by being secured within 
tie locking aperture 58 of the locking element by adhesive, or other 
securing means. The fastening cord and linking cord may be made of a 
durable cord material such as nylon or other equivalent durable material. 
Locking element 20 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 further includes a T-shaped 
lock 60 integrally joined to the top surface of a substantially square 
locking block 62. T-shaped lock 60 can be frictionally enclosed within 
seat chamber 64 provided in the cut-away section in the central lower 
exterior of back wall 28 whereby square locking block 62 then extends 
outwardly from the rear of the apparatus in a horizontal position. Locking 
block 62 includes central orifice 66 and three equidistant threaded 
locking cavities 68 one each provided on each of the adjacent three sides 
of the locking block for threaded engagement with threaded locking wing 
screws 70 providing threaded locking stems 72. The locking stems exit 
locking cavities 68 to come together within central orifice 66 at about 
ninety degree angles. The three threaded locking stems 72 coming together 
at about ninety degrees within central orifice 66 permit ground rod 18 to 
be mounted to the apparatus as seen in FIG. 4. Ground rod 18 is a separate 
elongated rod which is releasably locked in place within central orifice 
66 by thread locking stems 72 coming together in a tightened position 
therein. The ground rod has a sharp bottom end 74 which allows it to be 
more easily inserted into the ground. 
FIG. 3 depicts a sectional view and FIG. 6 depicts a side view of 
reflective mirror 12 set in a vertical plane within frame 14 and hingedly 
attached to side wall 26 by screw 40. The reflective mirror and screw 
attachment 16 are subject to back and forth controlled arch shaped 
swinging movement in alignment with swivel slot 44 as depicted in FIG. 6 
to adjust the mirror angle of view about twenty degrees backward and about 
twenty degrees forward relative to the vertical position of the reflective 
mirror. This adjustment is accomplished by first loosening the elongated 
screw by turning winged upper end 50 and then tightening the elongated 
screw after adjusting the reflective mirror to the angle for rear viewing. 
The reflective mirror can be moved back and forth by manipulating either 
overlapping lip 42 shown in FIGS. 1,2, and 6 or the elongated screw winged 
upper end 50 to the desired position. 
As seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, the reflective mirror is completely enclosed 
within the interior of frame 14 so that the mirror is always protected 
from the elements. Thus, the present apparatus is a distinct benefit when 
hunting in bad weather conditions where rain, sleet or snow can have a 
blinding effect on an unprotected rearview mirror. It is further to be 
noted that by having the reflective mirror adjustable through the angle 
range of about forty degrees, this allows the present reflective mirror to 
be used not only on the ground or in an above ground position but also the 
mirror gives a wide range of rear view no matter where or how it is used. 
This is possible because of the arch shaped movement of the reflective 
mirror within the frame whereby the mirror can be easily adjusted to the 
wide range of viewing. 
Shown in FIG. 4 is how the present apparatus can be supported on the ground 
by ground rod 18 secured to locking element 20. T-shaped lock 60 of the 
locking element as seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 is frictionally enclosed 
within seat chamber 64 where it is held in place by the weight of the 
apparatus pressing down. Ground rod 18 is seen with its upper end locked 
within central orifice 66 by threaded locking wing screws 70 and with its 
lower end to be inserted into the ground. The apparatus can be vertically 
raised up or lowered, or turned horizontally on the rod by loosening 
threaded locking wing screws 70. The reflective mirror can then be 
adjusted to the desired angle of rear view. 
FIG. 5 depicts the apparatus of the invention being supported on the branch 
of a tree by fastening cord 24. The fastening cord is seen exiting 
apertures 54 on the side walls and tied to the tree branch. The serrated 
rear edges 34 of the side walls are seen wedged into the tree branch for 
improved grip. The locking element 20 is shown attached to linking cord 
22. 
There are no limitations for the dimensions of the apparatus. Generally, 
side walls 14 are about three inches high by two and a half inches wide by 
one quarter inch thick; top wall 18 is about six and a half by two and a 
half by one eighth inches; back wall 16 is about six by three by five 
eighths inches; reflective mirror 20 is about six by three by three 
eighths inches; locking block 62 is about two by two by one half inches 
with T-shaped lock 60 being about two by one and an eighth by one eighth 
inches on the T-stem of about one half of an inch high; and central 
orifice about one inch in diameter. The length of the swivel slot is about 
two inches and is cut so that it provides the reflective mirror to move 
forward and backward about twenty degrees each way from the vertical. 
Having now described the invention, it will be apparent to one of ordinary 
skill in the art that many changes and modifications can be made thereto 
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth 
herein.