System and method for breaking chips formed by a drilling operation

A drilling machine, comprising:

• a first gear with a first axis of rotation;
• an annular cam follower rotationally fixed to the first gear;
• a second gear with a second axis of rotation coaxial with the first axis of rotation;
• a housing configured to support the first gear and the second gear;
• a holder plate removably attached to an external surface of the housing;
• a cam plate removably attached to the holder plate, wherein,
• the cam follower is positioned to rotate adjacent the cam plate;
• and
• the holder plate defines a cylindrical bore configured to receive the annular cam follower;
• a tool holder spindle extending coaxially with the first and second axes;
• wherein the first and second gears are configured to impart both a linear feed and a rotation to the spindle by which, when the first and second gears rotate, the spindle simultaneously rotates and axially advances through the first gear and the second gear along the first and second axes, whereby, a single rotation of the spindle causes the spindle to advance through the first and second gears by a first axial displacement, and further;
• a plurality of steel balls partially embedded in either one of the cam plate or the cam follower, the steel balls being free to rotate;
• an undulating surface on the other one of the cam plate or the cam follower, the undulating surface being in contact with the steel balls and being configured such that, for every single rotation that the first gear undergoes, an assembly comprising the first gear, the second gear, and the spindle advances and retracts by a second axial displacement.