Various Types of Crawler-Mounted Cranes
In order to be able to power a large variety of machines, industrial wheel tractors were adapted in the 1920s, by McCormick-Deering and Fordson. Like for instance, half-swing shovels and cranes were manufactured by several companies around the tractor's engine and power train and the wheels became replaced by crawlers.
Throughout the 1930s, crawler tractors came into widespread use. Immediately after, numerous manufacturers started making attachments for them, including various lifting equipment devices.
Side-mounted booms for instance, were utilized primarily for pipe-laying at first and the machine got the nickname "pipelayer." These machinery are presently often used for attending to cleaning up railroad derailments. Because of their mobility, size and compact design, as well as excellent lifting capacity, these types of machines are great for this use. Moreover, swing booms that mounted on top of the engine compartment also became available.
Similar to a crawler tractor, crawler cranes travel on crawler tracks. Due to their intense weight, these machines do not move really fast. Usually, the crane could be controlled by 2 or more cable operated drums and is powered by one engine. The crawler cranes are available with a lattice boom or a telescopic arm which could be extended easily using hydraulics. The lattice boom must be manually assembled by adding many sections.
Tower Cranes
Usually found in big construction projects, tower cranes are required to be erected and broken down on location. They should be transported by truck each time they are relocated. These tower cranes are very tall. They allow construction crews to move heavy steel or concrete building components to the tops of tall buildings. Tower cranes utilize a hydraulic system to push every new crane section up into place and thus, are self-erecting.