City Cranes
"City Crane" is a term used to define small 2-axle mobile cranes that can operate in tight spaces where the typical crane cannot access. These city cranes are great choices for use through gated places or within buildings.
City cranes were originally developed in the 1990s as a response to the increasing urban density in Japan. There are always new construction projects cramming their ways into the cities in Japan, making it necessary for a crane to have the ability to navigate the nooks and crannies of Japanese streets.
Basically, city cranes are small rough terrain cranes that are built to be road legal. These cranes are characterized by having a 2-axle design with independent steering on each axle, a short chassis, a slanted retractable boom and a single cab. The slanted retractable boom design takes up less space than a comparable horizontal boom would. Combined with the short chassis and the independent steering, the city crane is capable of turning in compact spots that would be otherwise unobtainable by other types of cranes.
Conventional Truck Crane
A traditional truck crane is a mobile crane that has a lattice boom. The lattice boom is significantly lighter in weight compared to a hydraulic truck crane boom. The many sections on a lattice boom are able to be added so that the crane could reach over and up an obstacle. Conventional truck cranes do not lower and raise their loads with any hydraulic power and need separate power to be able to move down and up.
Manitowoc made the very first ever Speedcrane. It proved to be a successful device though many adjustments needed to be added later on. Manitowoc hired Roy Moore as a crane designer to help streamline the design. He understood the industry was moving 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.