Other Types of Crawler-Mounted Cranes
In order to be able to power a large variety of machines, industrial wheel tractors were adapted during the 1920s, by McCormick-Deering and Fordson. For instance, half-swing cranes and shovels were made by some companies around the engine and power train of the tractor and the wheels became replaced by crawlers.
Crawler tractors came into widespread use in the 1930s. Immediately after, numerous manufacturers began making attachments for them, like a variety of lifting machine devices.
Side-mounted booms for instance, were used mainly for pipe-laying at first and the equipment got the nickname "pipelayer." These types of equipments are presently usually utilized for attending to cleaning up railroad derailments. Because of their compact design, mobility and size, as well as excellent lifting capacity, these types of machines are great for this application. What's more, swing booms which 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 machinery do not move really fast. Usually, the crane can 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 is easy to extend by utilizing hydraulics. The lattice boom needs to be manually assembled by adding multiple sections.
Tower Cranes
Normally found in big construction projects, tower cranes are required to be built and broken down on location. They must be transported by truck each time they are relocated. These tower cranes are exceptionally tall. They allow construction crews to move concrete building components or heavy steel to the tops of tall buildings. Tower cranes utilize a hydraulic system in order to push each new crane part up into position and therefore, are self-erecting.