Cutting method and apparatus having an affixed knife

A cutting apparatus comprising a rotary cutter having an axial-direction, a radial-direction and a circumferential-direction, said rotary cutter having an outer peripheral surface and including

• a rotary shaft member;
• at least one knife member joined to said shaft member, at least a portion of said knife member extending axially along said shaft member and extending radially outward from said shaft member;
• and
• at least one peripheral bearing member joined to said shaft member, at least an operative portion of said peripheral bearing member extending radially outward from said shaft member and extending circumferentially about said shaft member;
• wherein at least one of said peripheral bearing members extends discontinuously along the circumferential-direction of said rotary cutter.

A cutting process, comprising

• rotating a rotary cutter which has an outer peripheral surface and includes a rotary shaft member;
• wherein
• at least one knife member has been joined to said shaft member, at least a portion of said knife member extending axially along said shaft member and extending radially outward from said shaft member;
• at least a pair of axially spaced-apart peripheral bearing members have been joined to said shaft member, at least a portion of each peripheral bearing member extending radially outward from said shaft member and extending circumferentially around said shaft member;
• said rotary cutter further includes at least one cutter insert member that has been joined to said rotary shaft member;
• said cutter insert member provides a section of said peripheral surface of the rotary cutter;
• said at least one knife member has been substantially fixedly attached to said at least one cutter insert member;
• said at least one peripheral bearing member has been joined to said at least one cutter insert member;
• and
• a circumferential location of said at least one cutter insert has been substantially fixed on said rotary cutter.