Laminated extrusion die blade support

A laminated extrusion die structure comprising, a plurality of longitudinally-extending die blades having opposed faces, said plurality of die blades being stacked together in parallel relationship with adjacent faces juxtapositioned, each of said die blades having end support portions at opposed longitudinal ends and an inlet face and an outlet face, a neutral axis extending longitudinally along each of said die blades intermediate said inlet and outlet faces and intersecting said end portions, means for applying a compressive force to the ends of said die blades and directed parallel to said neutral axis, said means applying said compressive force at a predetermined distance from said neutral axis and between said neutral axis and said outlet face, and said means for applying a compressive force including wedge means responsive to forces generated during extrusion for eliminating all tensile stress within the die blades normally generated by the extrusion forces.

A method of supporting a laminated extrusion die, having an inlet face and an outlet face and composed of a plurality of longitudinally-extending die blades stacked together in parallel relationship with said die blades each having opposed end portions with a neutral longitudinal axis extending therethrough, in such a manner so as to eliminate substantially all tensile stress within the laminated die normally generated by extrusion forces which comprises, applying a compressive end force to the opposed end portions of said die blades, directing said force parallel to said neutral axis, and applying said compressive end force at a predetermined distance toward said outlet face from said neutral axis to thereby eliminate substantially all tensile stress in said blades forming said die normally generated in the die blades when subjected to extrusion forces.