Apparatus for positioning and aligning dies

Apparatus for accurately locating and aligning dies comprising:

• a die changing apparatus including a pair of upper and lower die fixtures having locating pins on the sides facing each other;
• a pair of base plates for securing upper and lower dies having a plurality of openings sized and positioned for receiving said locating pins for locating one each of said base plate on said fixtures;
• means for removably securing one of said base plates on each said fixture;
• at least two guide posts each having a stud portion sized and positioned for insertion into one of said openings provided in one base plate of said pair of the base plates and a guide portion to be inserted into another of said openings provided on a remaining base plate of said pair of the base plates for permitting vertically reciprocal movement of said other base plate along the length of said guide post, said guide portion and said stud portion being coaxial and of the same diameter in order to permit precise alignment of the dies on the base plates relative to said openings therein;
• and
• means for removably fastening each said guide post to the base plates so as to temporarily erect each said guide post on the base plates prior to positioning said base plates on said die changing apparatus fixture via said pins and openings.