Crawler Crane
The mobile crawler crane is particular crane designed with either a telescopic boom or a lattice boom. These move upon the crawlers tracks. Since this crane is self-propelled, it could move around particular work locations without the need for a lot of set up. Due to their huge weight and size, crawler cranes are fairly costly and even hard to transport from one site to another. The crawler's tracks provide the machinery stability and enable the crane to function without using outriggers, however, there are some models which do utilize outriggers. In addition, the tracks provide the machine's movement.
Early Mobile Cranes
The first mobile cranes were originally mounted to train cars. They moved along short rail lines which were particularly made for the project. Once the 20th century arrived, the crawler tractor evolved and this brought the introduction of crawler tracks to the agricultural industry and the construction industry. Not long after, the crawler tracks were adopted by excavators 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
Northwest Engineering, a crane manufacturer within the USA, was the first to mount its crane on crawler tracks during the 1920s. It described the new equipment 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 uses.
The Speedcrane
The Moore Speedcrane, developed by Charles and Ray Moore of Chicago, Illinois was one of the first attempts to copy the rails for cranes. Manufactured in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Speedcrane was a steam-powered, wheel-mounted, 15 ton crane. In 1925, a company called Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, from Manitowoc, Wisconsin recognized the tracked crane's marketability and potential. They decided to team up with the Moore brothers in order to produce it and go into business.