Driving system for machining tools or other tooling usable with metal-fabricating presses or other machines

Abstract

Driving systems for tools used with metal-fabricating presses or other machines, whereby planetary gears are used in the systems, and whereby the driving systems can be constructed for use with particular tooling, such as tapping tools, and complementary systems can be exemplarily configured for use with such driving systems. The driving systems can enable enhanced tool output as compared to conventional driving mechanisms, while also enabling variable disassembly and configuration of the systems relative to the intended machining operations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A driving unit for tooling usable with metal-fabricating presses or other machines comprising:
 an upper portion and a lower portion operably linked to the upper portion so as to be movable relative to the upper portion, whereby in event of a downward force contacting the upper portion and contact being made between the lower portion and a rigid structure, upward movement of the lower portion results relative to the upper portion;   planetary gearing operably linked to the lower portion; and   an assembly for tooling operably linked to the planetary gearing;   whereby the upward movement of the lower portion triggers rotation of gears of the planetary gearing; and   wherein a rotation of an input or ring gear of the planetary gearing corresponds with a greater rotation of an output or sun gear of the planetary gearing, and wherein the output gear is operably linked to the assembly for tooling, whereby a rotation of the output gear corresponds with a same rotation of the assembly for tooling.   
     
     
         2 . The driving unit of  claim 1  further comprising a helix drive that operably links the planetary gearing to the lower portion, the helix drive being operably linked to the input gear, wherein a rotation of the helix drive corresponds with a same rotation of the input gear. 
     
     
         3 . The driving unit of  claim 2  wherein the helix drive comprises a casing extending from the helix drive, the input gear being internally situated and linked to the casing. 
     
     
         4 . The driving unit of  claim 1  wherein the planetary gearing comprises one or more sets of intermediary or planet gears operably linking the input gear with the output gear, whereby the rotation of the input gear corresponds with a greater rotation of the one or more sets of intermediary gears, and the rotation of the one or more sets of intermediary gears corresponds with a greater rotation of the output gear. 
     
     
         5 . The driving unit of  claim 4  wherein each set of intermediary gears comprises a quantity of three gears arranged central to and equally spaced about the input gear. 
     
     
         6 . The driving unit of  claim 4  wherein the one or more sets of intermediary gears are two sets of intermediary gears, a first set of intermediary gears linking the input gear to a second set of intermediary gears, and the second set of intermediary gears linking the first set of intermediary gears to the output gear, whereby a ratio of rotation from the input gear to the output gear is ⅓ of a rotation to 7 rotations. 
     
     
         7 . The driving unit of  claim 2  whereby in event of the upward movement of the lower portion, a corresponding transfer of force results and comprises input linear force being transferred to output rotational force, whereby said transfer of force results from the linkage and corresponding movements of the lower portion and the helix drive relative to each other. 
     
     
         8 . The driving unit of  claim 7  wherein the helix drive is rotatable relative to the lower portion, whereby rotation of the helix drive is triggered by the upward movement of the lower portion. 
     
     
         9 . The driving unit of  claim 1  wherein the assembly for tooling comprises an insert that on one end links to the output gear of the planetary gearing, and wherein an opposing end of the insert is configured for being linked to a tool. 
     
     
         10 . The driving unit of  claim 9  further comprising the tool, wherein the tool is a tapping tool, and the rigid structure is a material for machining by the tapping tool. 
     
     
         11 . A lubrication system for use with tooling usable with metal-fabricating presses or other machines comprising:
 a housing configured for being located beneath a material to be machined by a machining press, the housing having a central recess defining a reservoir for lubricant, the housing having a depressible upper surface that when depressed, triggers upward projection of lubricant from the recess at the material to be machined.   
     
     
         12 . The lubrication system of  claim 11  wherein the housing comprises a die, the upper surface of the die configured to be depressed for triggering via downward contact by the material to be machined, resulting from a corresponding force on the material via a tool driving unit. 
     
     
         13 . The lubrication system of  claim 12  wherein the lubrication system is configured for driving unit for a tapping tool, wherein the upward projection of lubricant at the material to be machined comprises application of the lubricant below and above, as well as an area defined within, a pre-punched hole. 
     
     
         14 . The lubrication system of  claim 11  further comprising a piston and a valve housed within the lubricant reservoir, wherein depression of the upper surface corresponds with downward movement of the piston within the reservoir, which corresponds with the upward projection of the lubricant from the reservoir via the valve. 
     
     
         15 . The lubrication system of  claim 14  further comprising a further reservoir for housing additional lubricant and a further valve linking the lubricant reservoir with the further reservoir, whereby in event of removal of the downward contact from the upper surface of the housing, the piston correspondingly rises in the lubricant reservoir and corresponding vacuum in the reservoir results in addition of further lubricant to the reservoir via the further valve. 
     
     
         16 . A tool assembly usable with metal-fabricating presses or other machines comprising:
 an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper and lower portions operably coupled;   a head portion operably coupled to the upper portion and configured for contact and downward movement from a machine ram stroke; and   a driving unit comprising a helix drive and a transmission assembly operably coupled to the drive, the head portion operably coupled to the helix drive; and   an assembly for tooling operably linked to the transmission assembly;   whereby downward linear movement of the head portion from the machine ram stroke results in rotational movement of the helix drive relative to the head portion, and whereby the rotational movement of the helix drive results in enhanced rotational movement of the transmission assembly, and whereby the enhanced rotational movement of the transmission assembly results in corresponding rotational movement of the assembly for tooling.   
     
     
         17 . The tool assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the transmission assembly is comprised of planetary gearing. 
     
     
         18 . The tool assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the transmission assembly is a modular unit that is removable from the helix drive. 
     
     
         19 . The tool assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the helix drive is defined with channels that are angled similar to extent of the drive. 
     
     
         20 . The tool assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the head portion is defined with one or more channel sets which cooperate with the helix drive channels so as to increase, decrease, or maintain rotation of the drive.