Press tools and dies

Claim 1

A method of producing dies, tools or the like comprising a male member and female member adapted for use in conjunction with a press, including the steps of providing a male and female backing element; forming the operative faces of the elements to correspond generally in shape and dimensions respectively to that of the male and female integers of the desired members and providing the operative faces each with a skin of polymeric material the profiles of which respectively correspond exactly in shape and dimensions to that of the male and female integers of the desired die members by: a. pouring a quantity of polymeric material in fluid form into the cavity defined by the female backing element; b. imprinting a pattern corresponding exactly in shape and dimensions to that of the female integers of the desired die member in the material; c. allowing the material to set; d. covering the imprint on the material with a layer of a moldable release agent corresponding in thickness to that of the article to be formed between the members; e. imprinting a pattern corresponding exactly in shape and and dimensions to that of the male integers of the desired male member on the moldable layer; f. pouring a quantity of polymeric material in fluid form on to the pattern in the moldable layer; g. pressing the male backing element into the polymeric material; h. allowing the material to set; and i. separating the male and female die members so formed from each other.

Claim 2

A method of producing dies, tools or the like comprising a male member and female member adapted for use in conjunction with a press, including the steps of providing a male and female backing element; forming the operative faces of the elements to correspond generally in shape and dimensions respectively to that of the male and female integers of the desired members and providing the operative faces each with a skin of polymeric material the profiles of which respectively correspond exactly in shape and dimensions to that of the male and female integers of the desired die members by: a. pouring a quantity of polymeric material in fluid form into the cavity defined by the female backing element; b. imprinting a pattern corresponding exactly in shape and dimensions to that of the female integers of the desired die member in the material; c. allowing the material to set; d. covering the imprint on the material with a layer of a moldable release agent corresponding in thickness to that of the article to be formed between the members; e. imprinting a pattern corresponding exactly in shape and and dimensions to that of the male integers of the desired male member on the moldable layer; f. pouring a quantity of polymeric material in fluid form on to the pattern in the moldable layer; g. pressing the male backing element into the polymeric material; h. allowing the material to set; and i. separating the male and female die members so formed from each other.