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A compacting device (40) for attachment to an earthmoving machine (2) to compact a substrate is described. The compacting device (40) includes a plurality of wheel assemblies (41, 42, 43) mounted for rotation in bearings (46). A support is also provided, having a base part (48) that is adapted to be

A compacting device (40) for attachment to an earthmoving machine (2) to compact a substrate is described. The compacting device (40) includes a plurality of wheel assemblies (41, 42, 43) mounted for rotation in bearings (46). A support is also provided, having a base part (48) that is adapted to be mounted to the earthmoving machine (2). One or more bearing support members (47) extend from the base part (48) and between the wheel assemblies (41, 42, 43) to support the bearings (46). Each wheel assembly (41, 42, 43) includes a set of ground-contacting feet (44) secured to and peripherally spaced apart around a rim portion of the wheel assembly (41, 42, 43). In this arrangement, when the device (40) is rolled over the substrate a first foot of said set of ground engaging feet (44) contacts the substrate between axial width limits that differ from axial width limits of a second foot of said set of ground engaging feet (44).

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1. A compacting device for attachment to an earthmoving machine to compact a substrate, the compacting device comprising: a base adapted to be mounted to said earthmoving machine;one or more support members extending from the base;one or more bearings, the or each bearing being mounted to an end of

1. A compacting device for attachment to an earthmoving machine to compact a substrate, the compacting device comprising: a base adapted to be mounted to said earthmoving machine;one or more support members extending from the base;one or more bearings, the or each bearing being mounted to an end of the one or more support members;a shaft rotatably supported within the one or more bearings; anda plurality of wheel assemblies mountable to said shaft such that said one or more support members extend between said wheelassemblies, at least one wheel assembly of the plurality of wheel assemblies comprising: a first plurality of ground-contacting feet positioned around the periphery of the at least one wheel assembly at a first axial side of the at least one wheel assembly; anda second plurality of ground-contacting feet positioned around the periphery of the at least one wheel assembly at a second axial side of the at least one wheel assembly opposing the first axial side, wherein a foot of the first plurality of ground-contacting feet is positioned adjacent to and axially offset from an adjacent foot of the second plurality of ground-contacting feet, and wherein an intended rotational path of the foot of the first plurality of ground-contacting feet axially overlaps an intended rotational path of the adjacent foot of the second plurality of ground-contacting feet, wherein the at least one wheel assembly of the plurality of wheel assemblies further comprises a plurality of foot assemblies, each comprising a foot of the plurality of ground-contacting feet and an adjacent foot of the second plurality of ground-contacting feet and secured to the rim portion of each wheel assembly. 2. A compacting device according to claim 1 wherein each wheel assembly of the plurality of wheel assemblies comprises a first plurality of ground-contacting feet and a second plurality of ground-contacting feet, the first plurality of ground-contacting feet and the second plurality of ground-contacting feet being peripherally spaced apart around a rim portion of each respective wheel assembly such that when said device is rolled over the substrate the first plurality of ground-contacting feet contact the substrate between axial width limits that differ from axial width limits of the second plurality of ground-contacting feet. 3. A compacting device according to claim 2 wherein the axial width limits of the first plurality of ground-contacting feet of each wheel assembly partially overlap the axial width limits of the second plurality of ground-contacting feet of each wheel assembly. 4. A compacting device according to claim 2 wherein each foot of the first plurality of ground-contacting feet is positioned adjacent to a foot of the second plurality of ground-contacting feet. 5. A compacting device according to claim 1, wherein each foot assembly consists of the foot of the first plurality of ground-contacting feet and the adjacent foot of the second plurality of ground-contacting feet. 6. A compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the foot of the first plurality of ground-contacting feet and the adjacent foot of the second plurality of ground-contacting feet are integrally formed in each foot assembly. 7. A compacting device according to claim 6 wherein each foot assembly is secured to the rim portion of the wheel assembly by at least one of welding, bolting, riveting, and pinning by means of at least one pin. 8. A compacting device according to claim 6 wherein each foot assembly is formed integrally with the rim portion of the wheel assembly. 9. A compacting device according to claim 1, wherein each foot assembly has locating surfaces that when the foot assembly is placed on said rim portion of the wheel assembly for securing thereto bear against said rim portion of the wheel assembly so as to correctly position the foot assembly radially and/or axially on said rim portion of the wheel assembly. 10. A compacting device according to claim 9 wherein each foot assembly has a groove within which the rim portion of the wheel assembly is close-fittingly received so as to locate the foot assembly on said rim portion of the wheel assembly axially and radially. 11. A compacting device according to claim 1, wherein when each foot assembly is secured to said rim portion of the wheel assembly the axially leftmost width limit of the foot of the first plurality of ground-contacting feet is on an opposite side of the rim portion of the wheel assembly from the axially rightmost width limit of the adjacent foot of the second plurality of ground-contacting feet. 12. A compacting device according to claim 1, wherein the foot and the adjacent foot of each foot assembly have approximately the same shape as each other except for being oppositely handed in an axial direction and wherein when each foot assembly is secured to said rim portion of the wheel assembly the foot and the adjacent foot of the foot assembly are approximately equally displaced in opposite axial directions from the rim portion of the wheel assembly. 13. A method for compacting soil including the steps of: securing a compacting device according to claim 1 to an earthmoving machine;utilizing said machine to roll said device back and forth on a surface of the soil. 14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the earthmoving machine comprises a backhoe mechanism having a boom and a dipper and wherein the device is secured to a free end of the dipper. 15. A compacting device according to claim 1 wherein the wheel assemblies are mountable to the shaft such that the ground contacting feet of adjacent wheel assemblies are circumferentially staggered. 16. A compacting device according to claim 15, wherein at least two of the wheel assemblies are directly mounted to the shaft. 17. A compacting device according to claim 16, wherein at least one wheel assembly is mounted to one of the wheel assemblies directly mounted to the shaft. 18. A compacting device according to claim 1 wherein one or more additional wheel assemblies are removably mounted to one or more of the plurality of wheel assemblies mounted on the shaft. 19. A compacting device according to claim 18, wherein the one or more additional wheel assemblies are removably mounted to an end wheel assembly mounted on the shaft. 20. A compacting device according to claim 19, wherein the one or more additional wheel assemblies are removably mounted to a hub which is removably mounted to said end wheel assembly mounted on the shaft. 21. A compacting device according to claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of wheel assemblies and the one or more additional wheel assemblies include a plurality of ground-contacting feet spaced apart around the periphery of each wheel assembly and alternately displaced laterally towards opposing sides of the wheel assembly. 22. A compacting device for attachment to an earthmoving machine to compact a substrate, the compacting device comprising: a base adapted to be mounted to the earthmoving machine;one or more support members extending from the base;one or more bearings, the or each bearing being mounted to an end of the one or more support members;a shaft rotatably supported within the one or more bearings; anda plurality of wheel assemblies mountable to the shaft such that the one or more support members extend between the wheel assemblies, at least one wheel assembly of the plurality of wheel assemblies comprising: a first plurality of ground-contacting feet positioned around the periphery of the at least one wheel assembly at a first axial side of the at least one wheel assembly; anda second plurality of ground-contacting feet positioned around the periphery of the at least one wheel assembly at a second axial side of the at least one wheel assembly opposing the first axial side, wherein a foot of the first plurality of ground-contacting feet is positioned adjacent to and axially offset from an adjacent foot of the second plurality of ground-contacting feet, and wherein an intended rotational path of the foot of the first plurality of ground-contacting feet axially overlaps an intended rotational path of the adjacent foot of the second plurality of ground-contacting feet, wherein each ground contacting foot is formed integral with at least one adjacent ground contacting foot to form a multi-foot pad attached to a rim portion of each wheel assembly. 23. A compacting device according to claim 22 wherein said multi-foot pad has two feet only. 24. A compacting device according to claim 23 wherein said multi-foot pad is secured to the rim portion of the wheel assembly by at least one of welding, bolting, riveting, and pinning by means of at least one pin. 25. A compacting device according to claim 22 wherein said multi-foot pad has locating surfaces that when said multi-foot pad is placed on said rim portion of the wheel assembly for securing thereto bear against said rim portion of the wheel assembly so as to correctly position said feet radially and/or axially on said rim portion of the wheel assembly. 26. A compacting device according to claim 25 wherein said multi-foot pad has a groove within which the rim portion of the wheel assembly is received so as to locate said multi-foot pad on said rim portion of the wheel assembly axially and radially. 27. A compacting device according to claim 22 wherein said first and second feet of said multi-foot pad have substantially the same shape and wherein when said multi-foot pad is secured to said rim portion of the wheel assembly said first and second feet are approximately equally displaced in opposite lateral directions from the rim portion of the wheel assembly. 28. A compacting device for attachment to an earthmoving machine to substrate, the compacting device comprising: a base adapted to be mounted to the earthmoving machine;one or more support members extending from the base;one or more bearings, the or each bearing being mounted to an end of the one or more support members;a shaft rotatably supported within the one or more bearings; anda plurality of wheel assemblies mountable to the shaft such that the one or more support members extend between said wheel assemblies, at least one wheel assembly of the plurality of wheel assemblies comprising: a first plurality of ground-contacting feet positioned around the periphery of the at least one wheel assembly at a first axial side of the at least one wheel assembly; anda second plurality of ground-contacting feet positioned around the periphery of the at least one wheel assembly at a second axial side of the at least one wheel assembly opposing the first axial side, wherein a foot of the first plurality of ground-contacting feet is positioned adjacent to and axially offset from an adjacent foot of the second plurality of ground-contacting feet, and wherein an intended rotational path of the foot of the first plurality of ground-contacting feet axially overlaps an intended rotational path of the adjacent foot of the second plurality of ground-contacting feet, wherein one or more additional wheel assemblies are removably mounted to one or more of the plurality of wheel assemblies mounted on the shaft;wherein the one or more additional wheel assemblies are removably mounted to an end wheel assembly mounted on the shaft;wherein the one or more additional wheel assemblies are removably mounted to a hub that is removably mounted to said end wheel assembly mounted on the shaft; andwherein the hub comprises a first mounting disc for mounting said hub to a wheel disc of said end wheel assembly mounted on the shaft and a second mounting disc to which is mounted said additional wheel assembly. 29. A compacting device according to claim 28, wherein the first and second mounting discs have a plurality of holes formed therethrough to receive one or more fasteners for facilitating mounting of the hub to the end wheel assembly and the additional wheel assembly to the hub. 30. A compacting device according to claim 29, wherein the plurality of holes are formed around the periphery of the first and second mounting discs. 31. A compacting device according to claim 30, wherein corresponding holes formed in the periphery of the first and second mounting discs are offset such that a plurality of ground-contacting feet spaced apart around the periphery of the additional wheel assembly are circumferentially staggered with respect to a plurality of ground-contacting feet spaced apart around the periphery of the end wheel assembly when the additional wheel assembly is mounted to the end wheel assembly. 32. A multi-foot ground-engaging pad for a compacting device having a wheel assembly comprising one or more wheels adapted to be rolled over a substrate to be compacted, the pad comprising a plurality of ground-engaging feet integrally formed on a base that is securable to a rim portion of the one or more wheels whereupon said feet of the plurality of ground-engaging feet are spaced peripherally on the one or more wheels, wherein successive feet of said plurality of ground-engaging feet on each wheel of the one or more wheels are alternately positioned at opposing sides of the respective wheel, and wherein an intended rotational path of each foot of the plurality of ground-engaging feet partially overlaps with an intended rotational path of an adjacent foot of the plurality of ground-engaging feet. 33. A multi-foot ground engaging pad according to claim 32, wherein said multi-foot pad has two said ground engaging feet only. 34. A multi-foot ground engaging pad according to claim 32, wherein the pad is securable to said wheel by at least one of welding, bolting, riveting, and pinning by means of at least one pin. 35. A multi-foot ground engaging pad according to claim 32, wherein the pad includes locating surfaces that when said pad is placed on said wheel for securing thereto, said locating surfaces bear against said wheel so as to correctly position said ground engaging feet radially and/or axially on said wheel. 36. A multi-foot ground engaging pad according to claim 32 having a groove within which the rim portion of said wheel is received so as to locate said pad on said wheel axially and radially. 37. A multi-foot ground engaging pad according to claim 32 so proportioned that when said pad is secured to said wheel the axially leftmost width limit of said first foot is on an opposite side of said rim portion of said wheel from the axially rightmost width limit of said second foot. 38. A multi-foot ground engaging pad according to claim 37 wherein said first and second feet of said pad have approximately the same shape as each other save for being oppositely handed in an axial direction and wherein when said multi-foot pad is secured to said wheel said first and second ground engaging feet are approximately equally displaced in opposite axial directions from said rim portion of the wheel.