Other Types of Crawler-Mounted Cranes
In order to be able to power a large variety of machines, industrial wheel tractors were modified during the 1920s, by McCormick-Deering and Fordson. Like for example, half-swing shovels and cranes were manufactured by several companies around the tractor's engine and power train and the wheels became replaced by crawlers.
Throughout the 1930s, crawler tractors came into widespread use. Soon after, numerous manufacturers started making attachments for them, such as various lifting machine devices.
Side-mounted booms for instance, were utilized mainly for pipe-laying at first and the equipment got the nickname "pipelayer." These types of equipments are now usually used for attending to cleaning up railroad derailments. Due to their size, compact design and mobility, in addition to exceptional lifting capacity, these machinery are great for this use. Furthermore, swing booms that mounted on top of the engine compartment also became available.
Similar to a crawler tractor, crawler cranes travel on crawler tracks. Because of 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 that is easy to extend by using hydraulics. The lattice boom must be assembled manually by adding multiple sections.
Tower Cranes
Typically found in big construction projects, tower cranes are required to be erected and broken down on location. They have to be transported by truck each time they are relocated. These tower cranes are very tall. They enable construction crews to move heavy steel or concrete building components to the tops of tall buildings. Tower cranes use a hydraulic system to push every new crane section up into place and therefore, are self-erecting.