Early Crane Evolution
The very first recorded idea or type of a crane was used by the early Egyptians more than 4000 years ago. This apparatus was known as a shaduf and was utilized to transport water. The crane was made out of a long pivoting beam which balanced on a vertical support. On one end a heavy weight was connected and on the other end of the beam, a bucket was connected.
Cranes that were built during the first century were powered by humans or by animals that were moving on a treadmill or a wheel. The crane consisted of a wooden long beam that was referred to as a boom. The boom was connected to a base that rotates. The treadmill or the wheel was a power-driven operation which had a drum with a rope that wrapped around it. This rope additionally had a hook which was connected to a pulley at the top of the boom and lifted the weight.
Within Europe, the huge cathedrals established during the Middle Ages were build using cranes. Cranes were also used to load and unload ships in key ports. Over time, significant advancements in crane design evolved. For instance, a horizontal boom was added to and became known as the jib. This boom addition allowed cranes to have the ability to pivot, thus greatly increasing the range of motion for the machinery. After the 16th century, cranes had incorporated two treadmills on each side of a rotating housing that held the boom.
Cranes used humans and animals for power until the mid-19th century. This all changes rapidly once steam engines were developed. At the turn of the century, Internal combustion or IC engines and electric motors emerged. Moreover, cranes became designed out of cast iron and steel as opposed to wood. The new designs proved more efficient and longer lasting. They could obviously run longer too with their new power sources and therefore carry out larger jobs in less time.