Other Types of Crawler-Mounted Cranes
In order to be able to power a large range of equipment, industrial wheel tractors were adapted in the 1920s, by Fordson and McCormick-Deering. For example, half-swing shovels and cranes were made by several companies around the power train and engine of the tractor and the wheels became replaced by crawlers.
During the 1930s, crawler tractors came into widespread use. Soon after, many manufacturers began making attachments for them, like various lifting machine devices.
Side-mounted booms for instance, were used mainly for pipe-laying at first and the machine got the nickname "pipelayer." These types of equipments are currently often utilized for attending to cleaning up railroad derailments. Because of their size, compact design and mobility, as well as outstanding lifting capacity, these kinds of machinery are great for this application. What's more, swing booms that mounted on top of the engine compartment became available also.
LIke a crawler tractor, crawler cranes travel on crawler tracks. Because of their intense weight, these machines do not move really fast. Typically, the crane is powered by one engine and could be controlled by 2 or more cable operated drums. The crawler cranes come outfitted with a telescopic arm or a lattice boom which is easy to extend by using hydraulics. The lattice boom needs to be manually assembled by adding multiple sections.
Tower Cranes
Tower cranes are the ones found in large construction projects. These types of cranes are essential to be erected and broken down on location. They need to be transported by truck each time they are relocated. These tower cranes are exceptionally tall. They allow construction crews to transport concrete building parts or heavy steel to the tops of tall buildings. Tower cranes use a hydraulic system to push every new crane part up into position and hence, are self-erecting.