Patent ID: 7384104

Claim:
An oscillating disc cutter including: a housing; a cutting disc; and a drive mechanism, the drive mechanism including: a drive shaft mounted within said housing for a bearing for rotation about a longitudinal shaft rotation axis with respect to said housing, said shaft including a driven section and an offset mounting section fixed to said driven section, said mounting section including a mounting axis parallel to and spaced from said shaft rotation axis; wherein said cutting disc is rotationally mounted to said mounting section about said mounting axis such that rotation of said shaft induces lateral eccentric oscillation of the cutting disc; and a radial bearing disposed between the mounting section of the drive shaft and the cutting disc to permit relative and generally free rotation of the cutting disc on the drive shaft; the cutter further including a first axial friction inducing bearing disposed directly between the disc and said housing to transmit axial loads exerted on the disc to the housing while accommodating generally a free rotation of the cutting disc with respect to said housing when operatively engaged and wherein said friction bearing induces a rotational drag between said disc and said housing thereby limiting rotational speed of the cutting disc when free running to an angular velocity below that of the drive shaft.