The platform of a mobile crane is usually specific to the job for which it was designed. For example, traditional wheels best serve a construction site in which there are paved roads; railroad wheels are designed for cranes that were made for railroad tracks; and caterpillar tracks are ideal for dirt roads or unpaved road surfaces.
Did you know that in 2006, a replica of a human powered crane was built at the Prague Castle? This crane was built using only illustrations from the Wenceslas IV Bible which dates from 1390 to 1400.
Crawler Cranes have tank like features, and their capacity ranges from 40 to 2,000 tons and can reach heights up to 700 feet, with a radius of 500 feet. Most manufacturers offer multi-functional jib systems that increase lift reach and maneuverability.
Hand operated chain blocks are highly versatile and can accommodate a wide range of lift weights. Standard heights of lift exist for most applications, and all blocks can be fitted to suit specific requirements.
Some cranes are built to last. There were about 100 large-scale stationery tread wheel and tower harbor cranes in western and northern Europe during the Middle Ages. While some featured masonry structures, most were wood and nearly a dozen are still in existence.
There are several benefits offered by wire rope slings when it comes to hoisting and rigging. They offer great strength combined with flexibility, they do not wear quickly, and they readily show broken wires, making it easy to assess the true condition of the rope.
Can you imagine having to run on a treadmill to lift a heavy load with a crane? This seems strange today, but for centuries that’s how cranes worked. These treadmills were like large hamster wheels built into the side of the crane.
During the early years of the 20th century, the internal combustion engines were introduced that replaced the steam engines in cranes. During the same time, the steel became the main material from which cranes were constructed.
Stacker cranes are those are most often seen in an industrial environment. These cranes work well in automated warehouses where they can be operated through a remote control switchboard or other device. Using a forklift apparatus, stacker cranes can stack and unstack equipment, tools, or food items in a retrieval system that is as effective as it is efficient.
A crane is most often fitted with a “hoist”: the chains, sheaves, wire ropes, and other devices that allow heavy materials or objects to be lifted, lowered, or moved horizontally. “Hoisting” therefore refers to the heavy lifting and transporting of these materials or objects from one place to another.
The United States government sets specific regulations through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that limit the weight that a specific crane is allowed to lift. The Crane Manufacturers Association of America sets its own safety standards which exceed those required by the government.
Rolling outriggers comprise a set of rollers that are attached to a steel support structure, replacing the crane’s standard outrigger pad. They came into prominence in the in the concrete tilt-up market as a way to improve a crane’s “on rubber” chart while not compromising its mobility.
Gantry cranes are those that are used in coastal ports to move enormously heavy containers off incoming ships or trains. Their bases are made of huge, steel crossbeams that run on rails, allowing gantry cranes to lift massive containers to and from a location.
In 1586, the pope decided to have a 344-ton obelisk relocated to St. Peter’s Basilica. To accomplish this, a wood tower crane was erected to deconstruct the obelisk, a process that took more than 365 days, 907 men, and 75 horses.
Cranes used for industrial purposes are generally designed to remain permanently in one location. These cranes often perform repetitive tasks that can be automated. An important type of industrial crane is the bridge crane.
The counterweight on the other end of the crane isn't just thrown up there. It's actually carefully planned and thought out. Ideally, the weight of the load multiplied by the distance to the center pin has to be less that the counterweight's mass times its distance to the center pin.
Marvels of ingenuity and efficiency, the early Fairbairn dock cranes represented a significant advancement. The unique arched design and gearing meant four men could hoist 60 tons to heights of 60 feet using only 52 pounds of force each.
Did you know that you can have outdoor overhead cranes attached to your building? These will have one set of freestanding supports and the other side will be secured to your building. The result is a more secure crane that can pick up loads very close to the wall.
Cranes are fascinating, in that they are designed to use a combination of simple machines to gain mechanical advantage and lift objects. For instance, the balance-style crane relies on a lever, where the crane’s beam is balanced at the fulcrum, allowing it to lift heavier objects with a smaller amount of force.
Tower cranes are a familiar sight in every growing city's skyline. As such, renting out, selling or even manufacturing tower cranes can be a highly lucrative business. However, as these are very expensive machines, the capital outlay would be immense.
Did you know that a crane can decrease the amount of damage to your stock and products? A good crane can will allow workers to precisely control where your products and stock go while in transport or while being worked on to reduce damage.
It takes a crane to lift a crane. When engineers restored the last surviving example of an 1833 wooden crane, they used a 65 tonne mobile crane to move the 30-foot oak jib and 20-foot main frame into place.
Did you know it wasn't until the end of the nineteenth century that internal combustion engines and electric motors were used to power cranes? By this time, steel rather than wood was used to build most cranes.
We require a minimum clearance of thirty inches between the swing radius of the crane and counterweights, and all stationary items, and that the area is barricaded and flagged. Any variation from these requirements must be identified and approved.