Patent ID: 8387713

Claim:
A soil aerator, comprising: a frame supported by wheels and having a tow vehicle connector so that the frame is configured to be towed in a forward towing travel direction; a soil aeration apparatus configured to form a plurality of aeration pockets in a ground surface, comprising: a tine holder shaft extending longitudinally along a shaft axis that is offset from a central axis of the soil aeration apparatus, wherein the tow vehicle connector is positioned forward of the central axis of the soil aeration apparatus; a gear system that imparts compound motions to the tine holder shaft so that the tine holder shaft revolves about the central axis while rotating about the shaft axis; and a plurality of curved tines mounted to the tine holder shaft, each of the curved tines having a concave edge, an oppositely disposed convex edge, generally flat lateral side faces opposing one another, and a tip portion, wherein the compound motions are imparted to the tine holder shaft while the curved tines are in the ground surface to form aeration pockets, wherein the convex edge of each respective curved tine cuts through the soil while the respective curved tine is in the ground surface; and wherein the curved tines have a penetration orientation in which the tip portion of each of the curved tines is positioned rearward of the central axis of the soil aeration apparatus when the tip portion approaches the ground surface, and wherein the penetration orientation of the curved tines is adjustable to a different penetration orientation.