Various KInds of Crawler-Mounted Cranes
Industrial wheel tractors during the 1920s, like those manufactured by Fordson and McCormick-Deering were rapidly modified in order to be able to power a huge variety of machinery. For example, 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.
Crawler tractors came into widespread use during the 1930s. Soon after, many manufacturers began manufacturing attachments for them, like a variety of lifting machine devices.
Side-mounted booms for instance, were utilized mainly for pipe-laying at first and the machine got the nickname "pipelayer." These kinds of machines are frequently utilized today for attending to cleaning up railroad derailments. Because of their size, compact design and mobility, as well as exceptional lifting capacity, these machinery are ideal for this use. Additionally, swing booms that mounted on top of the engine compartment became available too.
Similar to a crawler tractor, crawler cranes travel on crawler tracks. Because of their intense weight, these machines do not move really fast. Typically, the crane is powered by one engine and could be controlled by 2 or more cable operated drums. The crawler cranes come outfitted with a telescopic arm or a lattice boom that can be extended easily using hydraulics. The lattice boom needs to be manually assembled by adding multiple sections.
Tower Cranes
Typically found in large construction projects, tower cranes are required to be erected and broken down on location. They have to be transported by truck each time they are relocated. These tower cranes are exceptionally tall. They enable construction crews to transport heavy steel or concrete building parts to the tops of tall buildings. Tower cranes use a hydraulic system to push each new crane part up into position and thus, are self-erecting.