Crawler Crane
The mobile crawler crane is particular crane made with either a telescopic boom or a lattice boom. These move upon the crawlers tracks. As this crane is self-propelled, it can move around particular work locations without the need for a lot of set up. Because of their huge size and weight, crawler cranes are rather costly and even hard to transport from one site to another. The crawler's tracks offer stability to the machinery and allow the crane to work without using outriggers, however, there are some models which do utilize outriggers. Moreover, 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. When 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, excavators adopted the crawler tracks and this further featured the versatility of the machinery. It was not long after before manufacturers of cranes decided that the crawler track market was a safe bet.
The Very First Crawler Crane
Northwest Engineering, a crane company within the USA, was the very 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 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. Made in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Speedcrane was a steam-powered, wheel-mounted, 15 ton crane. During 1925, a company called Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, from Manitowoc, Wisconsin recognized the tracked crane's potential and marketability. They decided to team up with the Moore brothers to be able to manufacture it and go into business.