Different KInds of Crawler-Mounted Cranes
In order to be able to power a huge variety of machines, industrial wheel tractors were adapted in the 1920s, by McCormick-Deering and Fordson. For example, half-swing shovels and cranes were manufactured by some companies around the power train and engine of the tractor and the wheels became replaced by crawlers.
Crawler tractors came into widespread use throughout the 1930s. Soon after, many manufacturers started making attachments for them, including various lifting equipment devices.
Side-mounted booms for instance, were used primarily for pipe-laying at first and the equipment got the nickname "pipelayer." These types of equipments are usually used today for attending to cleaning up railroad derailments. Because of their compact design, mobility and size, along with exceptional lifting capacity, these machines are great for this application. Additionally, swing booms that mounted on top of the engine compartment became available also.
Crawler cranes are similar to the crawler tractor in that it travels along crawler tracks. These equipments could not move fast thanks to their intense weights. Typically, the crane may be controlled by 2 or more cable operated drums and is powered by one engine. The crawler cranes are available 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 many sections.
Tower Cranes
Tower cranes are the ones found in big construction projects. These kinds of cranes are necessary to be built and broken down on location. They need to be transported by truck every time they are relocated. These tower cranes are very tall. They enable construction crews to move concrete building components or heavy steel to the tops of tall buildings. Tower cranes use a hydraulic system to push each and every new crane part up into place and thus, are self-erecting.