Crawler Crane
The mobile crawler crane is specific crane made with either a lattice boom or a telescopic boom. These move upon the crawlers tracks. Because this crane is self-propelled, it can move around particular work sites without the need for much set up. Because of their enormous size and weight, crawler cranes are are difficult to transport from one site to another and are rather costly. The crawler's tracks offer the machinery stability and allow the crane to work without the use of outriggers, although, there are some units which do use outriggers. Moreover, the tracks provide the movement of the equipment.
Early Mobile Cranes
Initially, the very first mobile cranes were mounted to train cars and move along specially designed short rail lines. Once the 20th century arrived, the crawler tractor changed and this brought the introduction of crawler tracks to the construction industry and the agricultural business. Not long after, excavators adopted the crawler tracks and this further showcased the equipment's versatility. It was not long after when manufacturers of cranes decided that the crawler track market was a safe bet.
The First Crawler Crane
In the 1920s, Northwest Engineering, a crane manufacturer in the USA, mounted its very first crane on crawler tracks. It described the new machinery as a "locomotive crane, independent of tracks and moveable under its own power." By the middle part of the 1920s, crawler tracks had become the preferred means of traction for heavy crane operations.
The Speedcrane
Developed by Ray and Charles Moore of Chicago, Illinois; the Moore Speedcrane was among the first to attempt to copy rail lines for cranes. Made in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Speedcrane was 15 ton, steam-powered, wheel-mounted crane. In the year 1925, a company known as Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, from Manitowoc, Wisconsin recognized the tracked crane's potential and marketability. They decided to team up with the Moore brothers in order to produce it and go into business.