Patent ID: 6865827

Claim:
A soil-engaging utility device having a utility mechanism with a motor-driven utility drum, comprising: a) a support to support said device on a vehicle; b) a utility mechanism including a rotatable drum, said drum including at least one soil-engaging member on a periphery of the drum, said drum being positionable generally horizontally and generally transverse to said vehicle; c) a motor contained substantially entirely inside said drum, said motor having a drive shaft extending inwards into said drum; d) planetary gear set inside said drum and operatively connected to said drive shaft to increase torque between said drive shaft and said drum, said planetary gear set converting a higher revolution-per-minute rotation to a lower revolution-per-minute rotation; and e) an output of said planetary gear set being operatively connected to said drum at a connection location that is displaced inward from ends of said drum to reduce torsion on said drum.