Other Types of Crawler-Mounted Cranes
Industrial wheel tractors in the 1920s, such as those made by Fordson and McCormick-Deering were rapidly modified in order to be able to power a large variety of machines. Like for example, 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. Soon after, many manufacturers started making attachments for them, like for instance various lifting equipment devices.
Side-mounted booms for instance, were utilized mainly for pipe-laying at first and the machine got the nickname "pipelayer." These types of machines are now usually used for attending to cleaning up railroad derailments. Due to their mobility, size and compact design, as well as exceptional lifting capacity, these types of machines are ideal for this use. Moreover, swing booms which mounted on top of the engine compartment became available too.
Crawler cranes are similar to the crawler tractor in that it travels along crawler tracks. These equipments could not move fast thanks to their intense weights. Normally, the crane may be controlled by 2 or more cable operated drums and is powered by one engine. The crawler cranes come equipped with a lattice boom or a telescopic arm which is easy to extend by using hydraulics. The lattice boom should be manually assembled by adding many sections.
Tower Cranes
Usually found in big construction projects, tower cranes are required to be erected and broken down on location. They need to be transported by truck every time they are relocated. These tower cranes are very tall. They enable construction crews to transport heavy steel or concrete building components to the tops of tall buildings. Tower cranes use a hydraulic system to push every new crane part up into place and hence, are self-erecting.