Package for smoking articles and the like

A packet comprising:

• an outer shell and an inner shell connected by a spring member;
• the outer shell defining a cavity for receiving the inner shell and comprising a top wall, a bottom wall having four sides defining four edges, a front wall having an inner surface and two side walls upstanding from respective edges of said bottom wall;
• the inner shell comprising a front wall having a lower portion adjacent said bottom wall, a rear wall and two side walls, said rear wall being connected with said bottom wall of said outer shell;
• said spring member being hinged relative to said front wall of said inner shell by a first hinge at the said lower portion of said front wall of said inner shell and being hingedly connected by a second hinge at an upper edge of said spring member to a relatively upper position on said inner surface of said front wall of said outer shell as compared to the position of said first hinge, said upper edge of said spring member being spaced by a substantial distance from said top wall of said outer shell;
• said inner shell being hingedly connected to said outer shell by a third hinge at the said bottom wall of said outer shell;
• the sum of a) the spacing of said first hinge from said second hinge and b) the spacing of said first hinge from said third hinge being greater than the spacing of said second hinge from said third hinge when said inner shell and said outer shell are between their open and closed positions,
• whereby said inner shell is caused to spring between said open position in which it is out of said outer shell wherein contents of said inner shell are accessible, and said closed position in which it is within said outer shell wherein the said contents are inaccessible.