Different KInds of Crawler-Mounted Cranes
Industrial wheel tractors in the 1920s, including those manufactured by McCormick-Deering and Fordson were rapidly modified in order to be able to power a large variety of machinery. For example, half-swing shovels and cranes were made by some companies around the engine and power train of the tractor and the wheels became replaced by crawlers.
During the 1930s, crawler tractors came into widespread use. Soon after, numerous manufacturers began making attachments for them, such as a variety of lifting equipment devices.
Side-mounted booms for instance, were used primarily for pipe-laying at first and the machinery got the nickname "pipelayer." These types of machines are currently normally utilized for attending to cleaning up railroad derailments. Because of their mobility, size and compact design, in addition to outstanding lifting capacity, these machinery are ideal for this application. As well, swing booms that mounted on top of the engine compartment became available too.
Crawler cranes are like the crawler tractor in that it travels along crawler tracks. These machinery could not move fast due to their intense weights. Normally, the crane is powered by one engine and can be controlled by 2 or more cable operated drums. The crawler cranes are available with a telescopic arm or a lattice boom which is easy to extend by using hydraulics. The lattice boom must be assembled manually by adding many sections.
Tower Cranes
Tower cranes are the ones found in large construction projects. These kinds of cranes are necessary to be erected and broken down on location. They should be transported by truck each time they are relocated. These tower cranes are exceptionally tall. They allow construction crews to move heavy steel or concrete building parts to the tops of tall buildings. Tower cranes utilize a hydraulic system to push every new crane section up into place and therefore, are self-erecting.