Tine system

Abstract

A tine assembly comprising a plurality of individual tines, each tine with an arcuate shaped base section and a blade section. Each tine is mountable between a pair of hubs suds that each blade extends radially outward therefrom. The base portions are clamped, secured, or otherwise engaged between the hub assemblies. The blades may be positioned to be twisted in various angles about a line extending substantially radially outwards, by the use of wedge-shaped, arcuate blocks. The blocks and individual tines may be positioned in a multitude of different configurations to providing desired rotational positioning of the tine blade sections.

1 - 27 . (canceled)  
   
   
       28 . A tine for a soil aerating implement, comprising; 
 a base for attaching the tine to an axle of the implement; and    a blade extending from the base to a tip, the blade characterized by a point of maximum thickness proximate the base and a taper to a point of minimum thickness between the point of maximum thickness and the tip.    
   
   
       29 . The tine of  claim 28 , in which the taper is generally arcuate.  
   
   
       30 . The tine of  claim 28 , in which the base has a surface coextensive with a base surface plane and in which a sloping line extending between the points of maximum and minimum thickness intersects the base surface plane at an angle of between about 1 degree and 20 degrees.  
   
   
       31 . The tine of  claim 28 , in which the sloping plane intersects the base surface plane at an angle of between about 5 degrees and 15 degrees.  
   
   
       32 . The tine of  claim 28 , in which the sloping plane intersects the base surface plane at an angle of about 10 degrees.  
   
   
       33 . The tine of  claim 28 , in which the blade further comprises first and second edges and first and second bevels extending from the respective first and second edges.  
   
   
       34 . The fine of  claim 28 , in which the axle is characterized by a normal plane extending generally perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the axle and in which the blade is generally coextensive with a blade plane, the blade plane intersecting the normal plane at an angle between about 2.5 degrees and 10 degrees.  
   
   
       35 . The tine of  claim 28  operationally mounted to the implement of  claim 28 .  
   
   
       36 . A tine for aerating the soil, comprising: 
 a base; and    a blade extending from the base and characterized by a transition zone extending from an area of maximum thickness proximate the base to an area of lesser thickness more distant from the base than the area of maximum thickness.    
   
   
       37 . The tine of  claim 36 , in which the transition zone has a generally arcuate surface.  
   
   
       38 . The tine of  claim 36 , in which the blade further comprises first and second edges and first and second bevels inwardly extending from the first and second edges.  
   
   
       39 . The tine of  claim 38 , in which the first bevel has a generally flat surface bounded by at least one generally arcuate surface.  
   
   
       40 . The tine of  claim 39 , in which the arcuate surface is generally concave is cross section.  
   
   
       41 . The tine of  claim 36 , attached to an implement for aerating soil.  
   
   
       42 . A tine for aerating the soil, comprising: 
 a base having a base surface coextending with a base surface plane; and    a blade extending from the base to a tip and having a transition zone from a point of maximum thickness proximate the base to a point of minimum thickness, a transition line extending between points of minimum and maximum thickness angling from the base surface plane between about 1 degree and 20 degrees.    
   
   
       43 . The tine of  claim 42 , in which at least a portion of the transition zone is generally concave.  
   
   
       44 . The tine of  claim 30 , further comprising first and second edges and respective first and second bevels.  
   
   
       45 . The tine of  claim 31 , the first bevel bounded by surfaces generally concave in cross section.  
   
   
       46 . A tine for mounting to an axle of soil aerating implement, the axle characterized by an axle longitudinal axis and an axle normal plane generally perpendicular to the axle longitudinal axis, the tine comprising: 
 a base; and    a blade unitarily extending between the base and a blade tip, the blade generally characterized by a blade plane extending angularly from the axle normal plane between about 2.5 degrees and 10.0 degrees, the blade further characterized by first and second edges and by first and second bevels respectively extending from the first and second edges.    
   
   
       47 . The tine of  claim 46 , in which the first bevel comprises a generally flat surface longitudinally bounded by a pair of generally concave surfaces.  
   
   
       48 . The tine of  claim 46 , in which the second bevel generally extends from the blade tip.