Other KInds of Crawler-Mounted Cranes
Industrial wheel tractors during the 1920s, like those manufactured by McCormick-Deering and Fordson were quickly adapted in order to be able to power a large variety of equipment. Like for instance, half-swing cranes and shovels were made by several companies around the engine and power train of the tractor and the wheels became replaced by crawlers.
During the 1930s, crawler tractors came into widespread use. Soon after, many manufacturers began manufacturing attachments for them, like for instance various lifting machine devices.
Side-mounted booms for instance, were utilized mainly for pipe-laying at first and the machinery got the nickname "pipelayer." These machinery are currently normally used for attending to cleaning up railroad derailments. Because of their compact design, mobility and size, as well as excellent lifting capacity, these machinery are ideal for this application. As well, swing booms which mounted on top of the engine compartment became available also.
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 come equipped with a telescopic arm or a lattice boom which could be extended easily utilizing hydraulics. The lattice boom should be manually assembled by adding multiple sections.
Tower Cranes
Typically found in big construction projects, tower cranes are required to be built and broken down on location. They should be transported by truck every time they are relocated. These tower cranes are very tall. They allow construction crews to move heavy steel or concrete building components to the tops of tall buildings. Tower cranes utilize a hydraulic system to be able to push each new crane section up into position and thus, are self-erecting.