Compaction roller

A soil compaction machine including a pair of soil compaction rollers mounted side by side with one another, each soil compaction roller comprising a hub structure defining a central axis of rotation, a multi-sided, out-of-round, peripheral compacting surface which has a width measured parallel to the axis and which is fixed non-adjustably to an outer periphery of the hub structure so as to be capable of rolling over a soil surface that is to be compacted when the hub structure rotates about the central axis, the compacting surface being defined by a plurality of angularly spaced salient points and an equal plurality of compacting faces, the salient points being defined at the ends of respective radii of the roller, each such radius constituting a maximum radius of the compacting surface and being larger than the maximum radii of the compacting facts, each composing face being generally outwardly convex in shape and each generally convex compacting face extending continuously from one salient point to an adjacent salient point, each salient point extending parallel to the central axis, the cross-section of each generally convex compacting surface being constant across a width thereof measured parallel to the axis and being arranged such that an instantaneous center of rotation of each generally convex compacting face, where that compacting face contacts the soil surface during rolling, moves continuously about the full extent of the generally convex compacting face, whereby the roller applies a continuous kneading action to the soil surface at all annular positions thereof as it rolls over the soil surface, wherein each compacting face is symmetrical about an imaginary radial line extending through the compacting face at a location thereof situated midway between the salient points lying on opposite sides of that compacting face.