A cutting head (12) for a portable, hand-held, power-operated pipe cutter (10) is constructed with at least one channel (22) in a rotating mounting plate assembly (24), to permit lateral insertion of a pipe (P). The power-transmission arrangement employed includes at least one component (68) that effectively spans the entrance to the channel (22) in the mounting plate (24) so as to ensure that driving engagement therebetween is constantly maintained.
