Die for cutting paper, cloth and the like and method of making same

Abstract

A die for repetitively cutting shapes out of material such as paper and cloth includes a continuous, seamless metal wall defining a central opening having a predetermined shape substantially the same as a shape it is desired to cut. A cutting surface is disposed at the top of the metal wall, the cutting surface defining the outline of the shape it is desired to cut. Such dies are formed by cutting a die blank out of a block of metal, the outline of the die blank corresponding generally to the shape it is desired to cut. At least part of the interior of the die blank is removed to form a modified die blank with a central opening having substantially the same shape as the shape it is desired to cut. A cutting edge is formed on one surface of the modified die blank adjacent the central opening by electric discharge machining.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.