Crawler Crane
The mobile crawler crane is particular crane made with either a lattice boom or a telescopic boom. These move upon the crawlers tracks. Since this crane is self-propelled, it could move around certain work locations without the need for much set up. Due to their enormous size and weight, crawler cranes are are difficult to transport from one site to another and are fairly costly. The crawler's tracks offer the equipment stability and enable the crane to function without using outriggers, however, there are some units which do use outriggers. Also, the tracks provide the movement of the machine.
Early Mobile Cranes
Initially, the very first mobile cranes were mounted to train cars and move along specially built short rail lines. Once the 20th century arrived, the crawler tractor evolved and this brought the introduction of crawler tracks to the agricultural business as well as the construction industry. Not long after, the crawler tracks were adopted by excavators and this further featured the machine'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
Northwest Engineering, a crane manufacturer within the USA, was the very first to mount its crane on crawler tracks during the 1920s. 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 preferred means of traction for heavy crane operations.
The Speedcrane
Developed by Charles and Ray Moore of Chicago, Illinois; the Moore Speedcrane was among the first to attempt to replicate rail lines for cranes. Manufactured within Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Speedcrane was 15 ton, wheel-mounted, steam-powered crane. In the year 1925, a company called Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, from Manitowoc, Wisconsin recognized the potential and the marketability of the tracked crane. They decided to team up with the Moore brothers so as to produce it and go into business.