City Cranes
"City Crane" is a term utilized to define small 2-axle mobile cranes which could operate in compact areas where the standard crane cannot access. These city cranes are popular alternatives for use through gated places or in buildings.
City cranes were initially developed in the 1990s as a response to the increasing urban density within Japan. There are continually new construction projects cramming their ways into the cities in Japan, 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 single cab, a short chassis and a slanted retractable boom. 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 unobtainable by other types of cranes.
Conventional Truck Crane
Traditional truck cranes are mobile cranes with lattice booms. This boom is a lot lighter boom than is found with a hydraulic truck crane boom. The many sections on a lattice boom are able to be added so that the crane could reach up and over an obstacle. Traditional truck cranes do not raise and lower their cargo using any hydraulic power and need separate power in order to move down and up.
Manitowoc made the first ever Speedcrane. It proved to be a successful device though many 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 changing towards internal combustion engines from original steam powered methods and designed his crane to change with the times. The Speedcrane was redesigned for a gasoline engine.