Other KInds of Crawler-Mounted Cranes
Industrial wheel tractors in the 1920s, such as those built by McCormick-Deering and Fordson were rapidly modified in order to be able to power a huge range of machinery. Like for instance, half-swing cranes and shovels were manufactured by several companies around the tractor's power train and engine and the wheels became replaced by crawlers.
Throughout the 1930s, crawler tractors came into widespread use. Immediately after, many manufacturers started manufacturing attachments for them, like for instance a range of lifting equipment devices.
Side-mounted booms for example, were utilized mainly for pipe-laying at first and the machinery got the nickname "pipelayer." These types of machinery are frequently utilized these days for attending to cleaning up railroad derailments. Because of their size, compact design and mobility, in addition to outstanding lifting capacity, these types of equipments are great for this application. Moreover, swing booms which mounted on top of the engine compartment became available too.
LIke a crawler tractor, crawler cranes travel on crawler tracks. Due to their intense weight, these machinery do not move very 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 can be extended easily using hydraulics. The lattice boom should be manually assembled by adding many sections.
Tower Cranes
Tower cranes are the ones found in large construction projects. These kinds of cranes are essential to be erected and broken down on location. They have to be transported by truck every time they are relocated. These tower cranes are very tall. They allow construction crews to transport concrete building parts or heavy steel to the tops of tall buildings. Tower cranes use a hydraulic system to push every new crane section up into position and hence, are self-erecting.