Opening means having hold down means

Claim 2

A metallic container, comprising: a top wall having a rupturable score line defining a permanent top wall portion and an opening closure portion; pivot means spaced from said drinking opening; a pull tab pivotally connected with said pivot means, said pull tab comprising a solid pull tab portion having a size at least as large as said opening and a piercing portion, said pull tab being pivotal from an opening position wherein when said pull tab portion is lifted, said piercing portion presses on said opening closure portion to rupture said score line and form a drinking opening to a closing position wherein said pull tab portion completely covers said drinking opening; and a pivotal hold down tab located adjacent to said opening, said hold down tab being pivotal from a first normal position wherein said hold down tab is located entirely over said permanent top wall portion to a second hold down position wherein a portion of said hold down tab is located over said opening whereby said hold down tab presses said pull tab portion onto said opening.

Claim 3

The container of claim 1, wherein a pivot stud is provided near the center of said top wall, said pull tab is provided with a pivot hole between said opening portion and said pull tab portion and a cut through score line located in said pull tab portion adjacent to said hole.

Claim 4

The container of claim 2, wherein the distance from the center of said pivot opening to said cut through score line is less than the distance from the center of said pivot stud to the adjacent edge of said rupturable score line whereby when said pull tab is pivoted to said closing position, said cut through score line is located entirely over said top wall portion.

Claim 5

The container of claim 1, and further comprising sealing means secured to the underside of said pull tab portion of said pull tab whereby when said pull tab is pivoted to said closing position, said sealing means seals said opening.

Claim 6

A metallic beverage container, comprising: a top wall having a rupturable score line defining a permanent top wall portion and an opening closure portion which is adjacent to the outer periphery of said top wall; a pivot stud located in the center of said top wall which is adjacent to said drinking opening; a pull tab pivotally connected with said pivot stud between a closing position and an opening position, said pull tab having a pull tab portion having a size at least as large as said drinking opening and a piercing portion, said pull tab portion of said pull tab also having a cut through score line which is located in said pull tab portion adjacent to said hole, the distance from the center of said pivot opening to said cut through score line being less than the distance from the center of said pivot stud to the adjacent edge of said rupturable score line wherein said pull tab portion is lifted in said opening position, said piercing portion presses on said opening closure portion to rupture said score line and form a drinking opening and wherein said pull tab is pivoted to a closing position, said pull tab portion completely covers said drinking opening and said cut through score line is located entirely over said top wall portion; and a pivotal hold down tab located adjacent to said opening, said hold down tab being pivotal from a first normal position wherein said hold down tab is located entirely over said permanent top wall portion to a second hold down position wherein a portion of said hold down tab is located over said opening whereby said hold down tab presses said pull tab portion onto said opening.

Claim 7

A metallic beverage container, comprising: a top wall having a rupturable score line defining a permanent top wall portion and an opening closure portion which is adjacent to the outer periphery of said top wall; a pivot stud located in the center of said top wall which is adjacent to said drinking opening; a pull tab pivotally connected with said pivot stud between a closing position and an opening position, said pull tab having a pull tab portion having a size at least as large as said drinking opening and a piercing portion, said pull tab portion of said pull tab also having a cut through score line which is located in said pull tab portion adjacent to said hole, the distance from the center of said pivot opening to said cut through score line being less than the distance from the center of said pivot stud to the adjacent edge of said rupturable score line wherein said pull tab portion is lifted in said opening position, said piercing portion presses on said opening closure portion to rupture said score line and form a drinking opening and wherein said pull tab is pivoted to a closing position, said pull tab portion completely covers said drinking opening and said cut through score line is located entirely over said top wall portion; and a pivotal hold down tab located adjacent to said opening, said hold down tab being pivotal from a first normal position wherein said hold down tab is located entirely over said permanent top wall portion to a second hold down position wherein a portion of said hold down tab is located over said opening whereby said hold down tab presses said pull tab portion onto said opening.

Claim 8

The container of claim 5, wherein the area immediately adjacent to said drinking opening is depressed relative to the major portion of said top wall.

Claim 9

The container of claim 6, wherein the portion of said top wall which is located immediately underneath said pull tab portion when said pull tab is in said opening position is depressed relative to the remainder of said top wall.

Claim 10

The container of claim 5, and further comprising sealing means secured to the underside of said pull tab portion of said pull tab whereby when said pull tab is pivoted to said closing position, said sealing means seals said opening.

Claim 11

The container of claim 8, wherein said sealing means has a size smaller than the size of the depressed area around said opening.

Claim 12

The container of claim 8, wherein said sealing means comprises a ring of compressible material having a shape which corresponds to the shape of said drinking opening.

Claim 13

The container of claim 10, wherein said sealing means has a size slightly smaller than the size of said drinking opening.

Claim 14

The container of claim 10, wherein the size of the outer periphery of said sealing means is larger than the size of said drinking opening.