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. As this crane is self-propelled, it could move around certain work sites without the need for much set up. Because of their enormous size and weight, crawler cranes are are difficult to transport from one location to another and are fairly pricey. The crawler's tracks provide the equipment stability and enable the crane to work without utilizing outriggers, however, there are some units which do use outriggers. Additionally, the tracks provide the movement of the machinery.
Early Mobile Cranes
Originally, the first mobile cranes were mounted to train cars and move along specially made short rail lines. When the 20th century arrived, the crawler tractor evolved and this brought the introduction of crawler tracks to the agricultural industry as well as the construction industry. Not long after, excavators adopted the crawler tracks and this further showcased the versatility of the equipment. It was not long after when crane manufacturers decided that the crawler track market was a safe bet.
The First Crawler Crane
Northwest Engineering, a crane company within the USA, was the very first to mount its crane on crawler tracks in the 1920s. It described the new machinery 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 chosen 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. Made in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Speedcrane was 15 ton, steam-powered, wheel-mounted crane. During the year 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 to be able to produce it and go into business.