Guided keeper assembly and method for metal forming dies

A method for making a metal forming die of the type having a die shoe, a die pad mounted a spaced apart distance from the die shoe for reciprocation between converged and diverged positions, and a biasing member disposed between the die shoe and the die pad for biasing the same to the diverged position, comprising:

• forming a base block with a generally flat mounting face shaped to abut an adjacent face of the die shoe, at least one fastener aperture extending axially through a marginal portion of the base block for detachably mounting the base block to the die shoe, and a central aperture extending axially through a central portion of the base block;
• mounting a bushing in the central aperture of the base block;
• forming a guide pin with a cylindrically-shaped central portion shaped for close reception in the bushing in the base block, a first end with an enlarged head shaped to abut the mounting face of the base block to positively limit travel between the die shoe and the die pad, and a second end with a shoulder and a rigid center post protruding outwardly therefrom;
• forming a through hole in the pad at a preselected location;
• forming at least one fastener aperture in the die shoe at a preselected location;
• inserting the central portion of the guide pin into the bushing in the base block for precisely guiding reciprocal motion between the die pad and the die shoe;
• inserting a fastener through the fastener aperture in the base block and engaging the same in the fastener aperture of the die shoe to securely, yet detachably, mount the base block to the die shoe;
• inserting the center post on the second end of the guide pin into the through hole in the die pad to precisely locate the second end of the guide pin in the die pad;
• and
• securely, yet detachably, connecting the second end of the guide pin with the die pad.