Patent ID: 7426845

Claim:
A hydroforming apparatus ( 10 ) comprising: a hydroforming die assembly ( 14 ) comprising an upper die and a lower die ( 19 , 21 ), said upper die and lower die cooperating to form a die cavity therebetween, said lower die having a pair of slots, said pair of slots positioned adjacent an end portion of the die cavity; a hydroforming press ( 16 , 18 ) having a tube engaging structure moving through a housing ( 22 ); a fastener assembly ( 37 ) comprising a pair of fasteners, each fastener ( 24 ) having a shaft ( 30 ) terminating at a shoulder ( 32 ), the shoulder forming a head ( 33 ), and a spacer ( 29 ) disposed about the fastener ( 24 ); each of the fasteners ( 24 ) being secured to the press housing ( 22 ) at one send of the shaft ( 30 ) and the shoulder ( 32 ) of the fastener ( 24 ) received within one of said pair of slots ( 28 ) formed in the lower die ( 21 ) for connecting the lower die ( 21 ) and press ( 16 , 18 ) and aligning the tube engaging structure with the end portion of the die cavity, and the spacer ( 29 ) extending between the lower die ( 21 ) and press housing ( 22 ) to space the press housing ( 22 ) a predetermined distance from the lower die ( 21 ).