Hydraulic truck cranes are a specialized type of mobile crane. These cranes utilize hydraulics and can lift thousands of pounds. Hydraulics utilizes forces being transmitted through oil pushing on the pistons of the boom in opposite directions so as to lift thousands of pounds. Hydraulic truck cranes are very essential in constructing major projects like bridges, airports, buildings and streets. A crane could accomplish in minutes jobs that will normally take hundreds of men and many hours to accomplish.
These impressive machines have played a vital role in constructing cities, houses, entire nations and individual buildings throughout the ages. Even Egypt's Great Pyramids were probably built using basic cranes to allow the heaviest supplies in one of the most amazing construction projects of all time.
The first cranes were established in 3000 B.C. Egypt in King Ramses' reign. This lifting mechanism was first utilized to collect water. The first official "cranes" appeared during Ancient Greece. These mechanism were used to build a whole country throughout the 5th century B.C.
These cranes were originally made out of wood. The designs of cranes began to change when dockyards began to need stronger and bigger machines. Hick & Rothwell designed the first cast iron cranes in 1834, in Bolton, England. This machinery was capable of lifting as much as 2 tons. That very same year, the addition of wire rope was added to the crane by Herr Albert Sr. who was an Official of the German Superior Board. The wire rope made the crane more durable and stronger. This addition allowed cranes to have a larger capacity to lift heavy weights.
The wire ropes were weaved together forming a more powerful rope with even more strength. The newly formed wire also added more flexibility. Germany started to build cast iron cranes 4 years later. The first cast iron crane made by Germany was built within Neuburg.