Other Types of Crawler-Mounted Cranes
In order to be able to power a huge variety of machinery, industrial wheel tractors were modified during the 1920s, by McCormick-Deering and Fordson. For example, half-swing cranes and shovels were made by several companies around the tractor's engine and power train 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 range of lifting equipment devices.
Side-mounted booms for instance, were utilized primarily for pipe-laying at first and the equipment got the nickname "pipelayer." These equipments are presently normally used for attending to cleaning up railroad derailments. Because of their size, compact design and mobility, in addition to outstanding lifting capacity, these kinds of machines are ideal for this application. Additionally, swing booms which mounted on top of the engine compartment also became available.
Crawler cranes are like the crawler tractor in that it travels along crawler tracks. These machinery could not move fast thanks to their intense weights. Typically, the crane can be controlled by 2 or more cable operated drums and is powered by one engine. The crawler cranes come outfitted with a telescopic arm or a lattice boom that is easy to extend by using hydraulics. The lattice boom needs to be assembled by hand by adding multiple sections.
Tower Cranes
Tower cranes are those found in large construction projects. These types of cranes are necessary to be erected and broken down on location. They should be transported by truck every time they are relocated. These tower cranes are very tall. They enable construction crews to move concrete building parts or heavy steel to the tops of tall buildings. Tower cranes utilize a hydraulic system to be able to push every new crane section up into position and therefore, are self-erecting.