Patent ID: 7770430

Claim:
A die assembly structured to be affixed to a shell press, the die assembly comprising: at least one die shoe comprising a first end, a second end disposed opposite and distal from the first end, and a number of divisions between the first end and the second end, wherein the number of divisions are structured to divide the at least one die shoe into a plurality of pieces to accommodate thermal expansion, wherein the shell press includes a first mounting surface and a second mounting surface; wherein the at least one die shoe further comprises a first side and a second side disposed opposite the first side; wherein the first side is structured to be coupled to a corresponding one of the first mounting surface of the shell press and the second mounting surface of the shell press; and wherein the second side includes a number of tooling pockets structured to receive tooling, wherein each of the divisions of the at least one die shoe forms a gap between the pieces of the at least one die shoe, thereby spacing the pieces apart from one another; and wherein the pieces are structured to be independently coupled to the corresponding one of the first mounting surface of the shell press and the second mounting surface of the shell press, wherein the at least one die shoe is a first die shoe and a second die shoe; wherein the pieces of the first die shoe are structured to be coupled to the first mounting surface of the shell press; and wherein the pieces of the second die shoe are structured to be coupled to the second mounting surface of the shell press, opposite the first die shoe, and wherein the first die shoe is coupled to the second die shoe by a plurality of guide assemblies; wherein each guide assembly includes a guide pin, a ball cage and a ball cage bushing; wherein the guide pin is coupled to the second side of a corresponding one of the first die shoe and the second die shoe; wherein the ball cage bushing is coupled to the second side of the other of the first die shoe and the second die shoe; wherein the ball cage is disposed on the guide pin; and wherein, when the first die shoe is coupled to the second die shoe, the guide pin and the ball cage are structured to be at least partially disposed within the ball cage bushing.