Other KInds of Crawler-Mounted Cranes
In order to be able to power a large variety of equipment, industrial wheel tractors were adapted during the 1920s, by Fordson and McCormick-Deering. For instance, half-swing shovels and cranes were made by some companies around the engine and power train of the tractor and the wheels became replaced by crawlers.
During the 1930s, crawler tractors came into widespread use. Soon after, many manufacturers started making attachments for them, like a range of lifting equipment devices.
Side-mounted booms for example, were utilized mainly for pipe-laying at first and the machinery got the nickname "pipelayer." These machinery are presently usually used for attending to cleaning up railroad derailments. Due to their mobility, size and compact design, along with excellent lifting capacity, these types of equipments are ideal for this application. As well, swing booms which 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 machinery do not move really fast. Usually, the crane may be controlled by 2 or more cable operated drums and is powered by one engine. The crawler cranes come equipped with a lattice boom or a telescopic arm that is easy to extend by using hydraulics. The lattice boom must be assembled by hand by adding multiple sections.
Tower Cranes
Tower cranes are the ones found in large construction projects. These types of cranes are essential to be built and broken down on location. They should be transported by truck every time they are relocated. These tower cranes are very tall. They enable construction crews to transport concrete building parts or heavy steel to the tops of tall buildings. Tower cranes use a hydraulic system to be able to push every new crane part up into position and therefore, are self-erecting.