Hole punching apparatus

A hole punching apparatus comprising:

• a frame having surface for supporting a workpiece to be cut and a recess in said support surface;
• a blade having a tubular cutting edge and a cavity with a diameter,
• the blade having first and second ends with the cutting edge being at the first end of the blade,
• the blade being rectilinearly movable relative to the frame between a retracted position and a cutting position, the blade in said cutting position residing in the recess;
• a projection in said recess which moves into the blade cavity as the blade moves from the retracted position into the cutting position,
• wherein the diameter of the cavity decreases from the cutting edge up to a first predetermined axial distance from the cutting edge towards the second end of the blade and increases from the first predetermined distance towards the second end of the blade,
• wherein the projection extends into the cavity at least the predetermined axial distance from the cutting edge when said blades in the cutting position such that a cutout from said workplace is advanced past said decreased diameter portion of said cavity;
• and
• a drive for rotating the cutting edge around a first axis as the blade moves from the retracted position into the cutting position.