Crawler Crane
The crawler crane is a particular kind of mobile crane which 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 completing jobs without much set-up. Because of their enormous weight and size, crawler cranes are are hard to transport from one location to another and are rather pricey. The crawler's tracks provide the machinery stability and enable the crane to function without utilizing outriggers, however, there are some models which do utilize outriggers. In addition, the tracks provide the machine's movement.
Early Mobile Cranes
Originally, the very first mobile cranes were mounted to train cars and move along specifically made 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, the crawler tracks were adopted by excavators and this further showcased the machine's versatility. It was not long after when crane companies decided that the crawler track market was a safe bet.
The Very 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 machine 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 uses.
The Speedcrane
The Moore Speedcrane, developed by Ray and Charles Moore of Chicago, Illinois was among the first attempts to replicate the rails for cranes. Manufactured in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Speedcrane was 15 ton, steam-powered, wheel-mounted crane. In 1925, a company called Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, from Manitowoc, Wisconsin recognized the marketability and the potential of the tracked crane. They decided to team up with the Moore brothers in order to manufacture it and go into business.