Tower Cranes Grow to New Heights
Throughout the 1950s in the tower crane industry, there were many significant developments in the design of these huge cranes. Many different manufacturers were started making bottom slewing cranes with a telescoping mast. These types of machinery dominated the construction business for apartment block and office construction. Many of the leading tower crane manufacturers discarded the use of cantilever jib designs. As a substitute, they made the switch to luffing jibs and eventually, the use of luffing jibs became the standard method.
Manufacturers based in Europe were also really important in the design and development of tower cranes. Construction locations on the continent were normally constricted places. Having to rely on rail systems to transport a large number of tower cranes, ended up being too difficult and costly. A number of manufacturers were providing saddle jib cranes that had hook heights of 262 feet or 80 meters. These kinds of cranes were equipped with self-climbing mechanisms which allowed sections of mast to be inserted into the crane so that it can grow along with the structures it was constructing upwards.
These specific cranes have long jibs and can cover a bigger work area. All of these developments precipitated the practice of constructing and anchoring cranes inside the lift shaft of a building. Afterwards, this is the technique which became the industry standard.
From the 1960s, the main focus on tower crane design and development started to cover a higher load moment, covering a bigger job radius, climbing mechanisms and technology, faster erection strategies, and new control systems. In addition, focus was spent on faster erection strategies with the most important developments being made in the drive technology department, among other things.