Tray cover with guard

Claim 1

A TRAY COVER CONSTRUCTION HAVING A GENERALLY CIRCULAR PAPERBOARD DISK ADAPTED TO BE MARGINALLY CONNECTED TO THE EDGE PORTIONS OF A SHALLOW TRAY CONTAINING EXPANDABLE FOOD MATERIAL HELD WITHIN AN EXPANDABLE FOIL LINER, SAID DISK COMPRISING; (A) A CENTRAL, REMOVABLE SECTION DEFINED BY A SEVERANCE LINE SPACED INWARDLY FROM THE EDGE OF THE DISK; (B) SAID SECTION INCLUDING AN INTEGRAL LIFTABLE TAB DISPOSED INWARDLY ADJACENT SAID SEVERANCE LINE AND HAVING A FREE END, DEFINED BY AT LEAST ONE CUT LINE EXTENDING ENTIRELY THROUGH SAID REMOVABLE SECTIONS, BY MEANS OF WHICH TEARING MAY BE STARTED ALONG SAID SEVERANCE LINE PREPARATORY TO THE REMOVAL OF SAID SECTION; (C) AN INWARDLY EXTENDING GUARD ELEMENT CARRIED BY SAID PAPERBOARD DISK AND DISPOSED BENEATH THE FREE END OF SAID LIFTABLE TAB; (D) SAID GUARD ELEMENT BEING COMMENSURABLE IN SIZE WITH THE FREE END OF SAID TAB TO SHIELD THE UNDERLYING FOIL LINER WHEN A PERSON''S FINGER IS INSERTED BENEATH THE FREE END OF THE TAB IN THE PROCESS OF LIFTING THE TAB PREPARATORY TO THE REMOVAL OF SAID SECTION.