City Cranes
"City Crane" is a term used to define small 2-axle mobile cranes which could operate in tight spaces where the typical crane could not access. These city cranes are popular alternatives to be utilized through gated places or in buildings.
During the 1990s, city cranes were originally developed in response to the growing urban density within Japan. There are always new construction projects cramming their ways into Japanese cities, making it vital for a crane to have the ability to maneuver through the nooks and crannies of Japanese streets.
Essentially, city cranes are small rough terrain cranes that are made to be road legal. These cranes are characterized by having a 2-axle design with independent steering on each axle, a slanted retractable boom, a single cab and a short chassis. The slanted retractable boom design takes up a lot less space than a comparable horizontal boom would. Combined with the independent steering and the short chassis, the city crane can turn in compact spots that will be otherwise unaccessible by other crane designs.
Conventional Truck Crane
Conventional truck cranes are mobile cranes with lattice booms. This boom is much lighter boom than is found with a hydraulic truck crane boom. The many sections on a lattice boom can be added so that the crane can reach over and up an obstacle. Conventional truck cranes do not lower and raise their cargo using any hydraulic power and require separate power to be able to move down and up.
Manitowoc built the first ever Speedcrane. It proved to be a successful device though a lot of adjustments had to be added later on. Manitowoc hired Roy Moore as a crane designer to help streamline the design. He knew the industry was moving towards IC engines from original steam powered methods and designed his crane to change with the times. The Speedcrane was redesigned for a gasoline engine.