Other Types of Crawler-Mounted Cranes
Industrial wheel tractors in the 1920s, such as those built by Fordson and McCormick-Deering were rapidly adapted in order to be able to power a huge range of machinery. For instance, half-swing shovels and cranes were manufactured by some companies around the tractor's power train and engine and the wheels became replaced by crawlers.
Throughout the 1930s, crawler tractors came into widespread use. Soon after, many manufacturers began manufacturing attachments for them, including a range of lifting machine devices.
Side-mounted booms for instance, were used primarily for pipe-laying at first and the machine got the nickname "pipelayer." These machinery are frequently used now for attending to cleaning up railroad derailments. Because of their mobility, size and compact design, in addition to excellent lifting capacity, these machinery are great 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 machines could not move fast due to their intense weights. Normally, the crane is powered by one engine and may be controlled by 2 or more cable operated drums. The crawler cranes come equipped with a lattice boom or a telescopic arm which could be extended easily utilizing hydraulics. The lattice boom must be manually assembled by adding multiple sections.
Tower Cranes
Tower cranes are those found in large construction projects. These kinds of cranes are necessary to be built and broken down on location. They need to be transported by truck each time they are relocated. These tower cranes are very tall. They enable construction crews to move heavy steel or concrete building components to the tops of tall buildings. Tower cranes use a hydraulic system to push every new crane part up into place and hence, are self-erecting.