Patent ID: 8490456

Claim:
A die assembly for use in forming a workpiece comprising: a first die shoe and a second die shoe said first die shoe and said second die shoe operative to move between a first, open position and a second, closed position; said first die shoe having an aperture and at least one heel; and said second die shoe having at least one socket wherein when said first die shoe and said second die shoe are placed in said second, closed position said heel of said first die shoe is located in said socket of said second die shoe; said first die shoe having a top member and a bottom member, said top member and said bottom member spaced apart and joined by a front wall and a rear wall and a left sidewall and a right sidewall wherein said first die shoe has a generally rectangular shape having a longitudinal, a lateral and a transverse axis; said aperture of said first die shoe extending through said first die shoe in said transverse direction from said top member to said bottom member; an interior wall extending between said top member and said bottom member and forming a boundary of said aperture and said interior wall having at least one guide surface; a punch, said punch having a longitudinal axis and a body extending generally in the direction of the longitudinal axis, said body having at least one guide surface wherein when said punch is disposed within said aperture of said first die shoe, said at least one guide surface of said punch engages said at least one guide surface of said first die shoe; and said at least one guide surface of said first die shoe skewed with respect to said longitudinal and a lateral axis of said first die shoe.