Container

Claim 2

A container comprising vessel means including an opening, supporting shelf means perimetrically disposed on the interior surface of said vessel means in predetermined spaced relation with the opening therein, lid means perimetrically supported by said shelf means and peripherally engageable with the interior surface of said vessel means adjacent to said shelf means for closing said container, said lid means including a rotatably displaceable central portion and a pair of substantially lineally displaceable end portions, and manually manipulable means for rotatably displacing said central portion of said lid means in one direction to selectively advance the perimetric edges of said end portions into peripheral compressive engagement with the interior surface of said vessel means to close said container and in a second direction to selectively retract said end portions to displace said perimetric edges thereof into spaced relation with the interior surface of said vessel to open said container.

Claim 3

A container comprising vessel means including an opening, supporting shelf means perimetrically disposed on the interior surface of said vessel means in predetermined spaced relation with the opening therein, lid means perimetrically supported by said shelf means and peripherally engageable with the interior surface of said vessel means adjacent to said shelf means for closing said container, said lid means including a rotatably displaceable central portion and a pair of substantially lineally displaceable end portions, and manually manipulable means for rotatably displacing said central portion of said lid means in one direction to selectively advance the perimetric edges of said end portions into peripheral compressive engagement with the interior surface of said vessel means to close said container and in a second direction to selectively retract said end portions to displace said perimetric edges thereof into spaced relation with the interior surface of said vessel to open said container.

Claim 4

A container comprising vessel means including an opening, supporting shelf means perimetrically disposed on the interior surface of said vessel means in predetermined spaced relation with the opening therein, lid means perimetrically supported by said shelf means and peripherally engageable with the interior surface of said vessel means adjacent to said shelf means for closing said container, said lid means including a rotatably displaceable central portion and a pair of substantially lineally displaceable end portions, and manually manipulable means for rotatably displacing said central portion of said lid means in one direction to selectively advance the perimetric edges of said end portions into peripheral compressive engagement with the interior surface of said vessel means to close said container and in a second direction to selectively retract said end portions to displace said perimetric edges thereof into spaced relation with the interior surface of said vessel to open said container.

Claim 5

A container according to claim 1 including means for maintaining the periphery of said end portions of said lid means in substantially coplanar relation with said shelf means.

Claim 6

A container according to claim 1, wherein said lid means further includes: a pair of elongated toggle hinge means for joining said end portions to said central portion, means for pivotally connecting said central portion to said vessel means, and means for positioning said end portions, central portion and toggle hinges in a single plane to effect said maximum separation.

Claim 7

A container according to claim 3, wherein said lid means is a one piece, integral member.

Claim 8

A container according to claim 3, wherein said end portions are semicircular in shape.

Claim 9

A container according to claim 1, wherein the end portions of said lid means are semi-circular in scope and wherein said central portion further includes, manually engageable actuator means secured thereto for rotative displacement about the axis of said central portion, means for limiting rotation of said actuator means in one direction when said actuator means lies in a plane approximately parallel to said central portion, and second means for limiting rotation of said actuator means in a second direction when said actuator means is disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to said central portion, said actuator means being rotatively displaceable from said first limiting position wherein said actuator and central portion are substantially parallel and wherein the perimetric edges of said end portions will be disposed in compressively engaged relation with the interior surface of said vessel to a second limiting position wherein said actuator is disposed at said predetermined angle with respect to said central portion and wherein the perimetric edges of said end portions will be disposed in spaced relation with the interior surface of said vessel means.

Claim 10

A container according to claim 6, wherein said container comprises means for allowing the removal of said lid means from said vessel means when said actuator means is in a position intermediate said first and second positions.

Claim 11

A container according to claim 6, wherein said vessel means further includes projection means extending inwardly from the interior surface of said vessel over said semicircular end portions of the lid means proximate the midpoint of their outer periphery when said container is opened for retaining said semicircular end portions on said supporting means.

Claim 12

A container according to claim 6, wherein said lid means further comprises: means for maintaining said actuator means in said first position, and means for maintaining said actuator means in said second position.