There are several industrial and commercial buildings that now surpass 60 stories or more. These buildings all require tall cranes to be able to help move the materials to the higher floors. There are cranes that have their own vehicle connected or other types which are operated from the back of trucks. Tower cranes are the biggest types on the market.
Tower cranes are stand-alone structures seen as part of a major city's downtown skyline on high-rise building projects. When new construction like apartment buildings and skyscrapers and commercial facilities such as shopping center are being constructed, chances are a crane will be on site.
Kinds
The two key kinds of cranes can be differentiated by the way in which their boom or jib raises materials. The jib is the metal frame that extends from the main section. On a flat tower crane, the jib remains horizontal as it carries items. On a luffing type of tower crane, the jib can ratchet to downward or upward angles. The lifting capacity for both kinds can vary from 30,000 lbs. to 10,000 lbs.
Body
The body of the crane is composed of a mast. This is a vertical steel frame that is a combination of separate sections. In order to increase the overall height of the equipment, sections are added. The mast extends upward to where the desired height is, to the control module, that is a small room which has glass windows on all four sides or to the tower as it is also referred to. The crane operator works from inside of the tower.
Lift
In order to raise supplies, the crane utilizes a braided metal cord. The cord extends all the way to the end of the jib or boom from a motor situated next to the control module. There is a pulley system located at the end of the jib, through which the cord is positioned and lowered down. The jib which holds the cord becomes balanced by a counter jib situated on the tower's opposite side. The counter jib has weights. These weights help to prevent the crane from toppling over when heavy supplies are carried.