Bearing assembly for shear

In a shearing system for shearing a metal sheet, the improvement comprising:

• a) a die assembly including an upper die shoe, a lower die shoe and a lower die plate, said lower die shoe being mounted on said lower die plate;
• b) said upper die shoe being movable vertically relative to said lower die shoe to shear said metal sheet at a cut line between said upper and lower die shoes;
• c) a plurality of vertical linear bearings mounted on said lower die plate, each of said linear bearings extending vertically through said cut line;
• d) a corresponding plurality of vertical guide rails mounted on said upper die shoe and extending downwardly in bearing relationship into corresponding vertical linear bearings;
• and
• e) driving means for driving said upper die shoe toward said lower die shoe whereby said metal sheet is sheared at said cut line between said upper and lower die shoes while said upper die shoe is guided in its vertical travel by said vertical linear bearings.