Vibratory tamper

In a vibratory tamper comprising a crank case, a motor unit laterally mounted on said crank case, a gear unit, a crankshaft driven by said motor unit through said gear unit, a movable intermediate member, a crank arm connecting said intermediate member to said crankshaft for reciprocation of said intermediate member, guide means for guiding said intermediate member linearly when said intermediate member is reciprocated, a movable tamping foot, and at least two oppositely acting springs mounted between said intermediate member and said tamping foot whereby motion is transmitted to said tamping foot from said intermediate member, the improvement wherein said gear unit is a planetary gear comprising an inner wheel, a hollow intermediate shaft connected to said crankshaft and having a hollow portion, means journalling said inner wheel in said hollow portion, an outer wheel rigidly attached to said crank case, and at least one intermediate planet wheel coupled to said intermediate shaft and engaging between said inner and outer wheels, said tamper including means drivingly connecting said motor unit to said inner wheel, and wherein said oppositely acting springs overlap at least partially in the axial direction.