Tower Cranes Grow to New Heights
In the tower crane industry, the 1950s showcased numerous significant milestones in tower crane design and development. There were a variety of manufacturers were starting to make more bottom slewing cranes that had telescoping mast. These types of equipments dominated the construction market for both apartment block and office construction. Many of the leading tower crane manufacturers discarded the use of cantilever jib designs. Instead, they made the switch to luffing jibs and in time, using luffing jibs became the regular method.
Manufacturers based in Europe were also really important in the design and development of tower cranes. Construction areas on the continent were often tight areas. Depending upon rail systems to move several tower cranes, became too inconvenient and costly. Some manufacturers were offering saddle jib cranes which had hook heights of 80 meters or 262 feet. These types of cranes were equipped with self-climbing mechanisms which enabled sections of mast to be inserted into the crane so that it could grow along with the structures it was constructing upwards.
The long jibs on these particular cranes additionally covered a bigger work area. All of these developments precipitated the practice of erecting and anchoring cranes in a building's lift shaft. Then, this is the technique which became the industry standard.
From the 1960s, the main focus on tower crane design and development started to cover a higher load moment, covering a bigger job radius, climbing mechanisms and technology, faster erection strategies, and new control systems. Furthermore, focus was spent on faster erection strategies with the most important developments being made in the drive technology department, among other things.