Crawler Crane
The crawler crane is a particular type of mobile crane which is offered with either a lattice boom or a telescopic boom that moves upon crawler tracks. As this model is a self-propelled crane, it could move around a jobsite and completing tasks without a lot of set-up. Due to their enormous weight and size, crawler cranes are rather pricey and even difficult to transport from one site to another. The crawler's tracks provide stability to the machine and allow the crane to function without the use of outriggers, however, there are several units which do use outriggers. Also, the tracks provide the movement of the machine.
Early Mobile Cranes
The very first mobile cranes were initially mounted to train cars. They moved along short rail lines which were specifically made for the project. When the 20th century arrived, the crawler tractor evolved and this brought the introduction of crawler tracks to the construction business and the agricultural business. Not long after, the crawler tracks were adopted by excavators and this further showcased the versatility of the machinery. It was not long after before manufacturers of cranes decided that the crawler track market was a safe bet.
The Very First Crawler Crane
Northwest Engineering, a crane company within the USA, was the first to mount its crane on crawler tracks in the 1920s. It described the new machinery as a "locomotive crane, independent of tracks and moveable under its own power." By the mid-1920s, crawler tracks had become the preferred means of traction for heavy crane operations.
The Speedcrane
Developed by Charles and Ray Moore of Chicago, Illinois; the Moore Speedcrane was amongst the first to attempt to replicate rail lines for cranes. Made in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Speedcrane was 15 ton, wheel-mounted, steam-powered crane. During the year 1925, a company called Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, from Manitowoc, Wisconsin recognized the marketability and the potential of the tracked crane. They decided to team up with the Moore brothers to be able to produce it and go into business.