This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Conventional support structures for the placement of a catwalk, conveyor and other auxiliary structures above farm bin structures are known in the art. Typically, such catwalks are supported by independent towers formed of two legs cross-braced together that extend down to the ground. The towers can be attached to the sides of a grain bin via brackets to the body sheet or to vertical stiffeners. Alternatively or additionally, independent towers formed of two legs cross-braced together extending only partially to the ground can be provided. Vertical loads are commonly transferred directly from the catwalk to such catwalk towers but may generate unwanted forces within the bin structure. Conventional catwalk supports and towers are separate from the standard grain bin structure and can have complicated installation processes requiring an extensive amount of installation time and labor. In addition, such separate towers can interfere with other surrounding bins or equipment. Typically, they can only be installed after the entire bin structure is assembled. Having separate, long, and heavy columns to ensure a sturdy independent tower increases both production and shipping costs.
While conventional towers and bin structures may be somewhat suitable for their intended use, they are subject to improvement. For example, there is a need for enhanced supports and structures that require little assembly, strengthened and more durable construction, and/or an overall design that permits the use as an add-on feature to preexisting and current bin shipments and that can be provided in a space saving manner during shipment.