Die assembly for a die casting machine

A die assembly comprising

• a shot block assembly comprising a stationary shot block having an essentially planar surface and a movable shot block having an essentially planar surface such that the surfaces are coplanar, said shot block assembly having a passageway therein for passage of fluid material, an end of the passageway extending to at least one of the essentially planar surfaces of the shot block assembly, said stationary shot block having a plurality of means for engaging a first pair of retainers, and said movable shot block having a plurality of means for engaging a second pair of retainers such that the die assembly can accomodate mode assemblies of varying sizes,
• a mold assembly releasably secured the shot block assembly and having a mold cavity communicating with end of the passageway in the shot block assembly for producing an article from the fluid material, the mold assembly comprising a movable mold releasably secured to the movable shot block and a stationary mold releasably secured to the stationary shot block,
• said second pair of retainers for releasably securing the movable mold to the movable shot block, by each retainer engaging one of said engaging means on said movable shot block, and
• said first pair of retainers for releasably securing the stationary mold to the stationary shot block by each retainer engaging one of said engaging means on said movable shot block.