City Cranes
"City Crane" is a term utilized to define small 2-axle mobile cranes which could operate in tight areas where the typical crane could not access. These city cranes are popular choices to be used in buildings or through gated places.
City cranes were initially developed in the 1990s as a response to the increasing urban density in Japan. There are continually new construction projects cramming their ways into the cities in Japan, making it necessary for a crane to have the ability to navigate the nooks and crannies of Japanese roads.
Essentially, city cranes are small rough terrain cranes which are made to be road legal. These cranes are characterized by having a 2-axle design with independent steering on each axle, a single cab, a short chassis and a slanted retractable boom. The slanted retractable boom design takes up less space than a comparable horizontal boom would. Combined with the short chassis and the independent steering, the city crane could turn in compact spots that will be otherwise unobtainable by other crane models.
Conventional Truck Crane
A traditional truck crane is a mobile crane which has a lattice boom. The lattice boom is significantly lighter in weight than a hydraulic truck crane boom. The many sections on a lattice boom could be added so that the crane could reach up and over an obstacle. Traditional truck cranes do not raise and lower their loads using any hydraulic power and need separate power to be able to move up and down.
Manitowoc built the very first ever Speedcrane. It proved to be a successful machine 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 understood 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.