Crawler Crane
The crawler crane is a particular kind of mobile crane that is offered with either a telescopic boom or a lattice boom that moves upon crawler tracks. Because this unit is a self-propelled crane, it is capable of moving around a jobsite and accomplishing jobs without a lot of set-up. Because of their enormous size and weight, crawler cranes are are difficult to transport from one place to another and are fairly costly. The crawler's tracks provide the machine stability and enable the crane to function without using outriggers, although, there are some models which do utilize outriggers. As well, the tracks provide the movement of the equipment.
Early Mobile Cranes
The very first mobile cranes were initially mounted to train cars. They moved along short rail lines which were specifically built for the project. Once the 20th century arrived, the crawler tractor evolved and this brought the introduction of crawler tracks to the construction business as well as the agricultural business. Not long after, excavators adopted the crawler tracks and this further showcased the equipment's versatility. It was not long after before manufacturers of cranes decided that the crawler track market was a safe bet.
The First Crawler Crane
Around the 1920s, Northwest Engineering, a crane manufacturer within 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 mid-1920s, crawler tracks had become the chosen means of traction for heavy crane operations.
The Speedcrane
The Moore Speedcrane, developed by Ray and Charles Moore of Chicago, Illinois was amongst the first attempts to replicate the rails for cranes. Manufactured in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Speedcrane was a wheel-mounted, steam-powered, 15 ton 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 so as to produce it and go into business.