The hydraulic truck crane is a specialized mobile crane which uses hydraulic power to raise and transport thousands of pounds. Hydraulics uses forces being transmitted through oil pushing on the pistons of the boom in opposite directions in order to lift thousands of pounds. Hydraulic truck cranes are important in constructing major projects such as bridges, airports, buildings and roads. A crane could complete in minutes jobs that would normally take hundreds of men and many hours to complete.
These impressive machines have played a vital role in constructing houses, cities, individual buildings and entire nations throughout the ages. Even the Great Pyramids in Egypt were likely constructed with the help of basic cranes to enable the heaviest supplies in one of the most amazing construction projects ever.
The very first representation of a crane was featured during the reign of King Ramses within Egypt in 3000 B.C. This was a portrayal of a lifting device that was utilized to collect water. The very first official "cranes" appeared in Ancient Greece. These mechanism were used to build an entire nation throughout the 5th century B.C.
These cranes were initially made out of wood. The designs of cranes started to change when dockyards began to require stronger and bigger machines. Hick & Rothwell designed the very first cast iron cranes within Bolton, England, in the year 1834. This machine was capable of lifting up to 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 stronger and more durable. This addition allowed cranes to have a bigger capacity for lifting 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 very first cast iron crane made by Germany was made in Neuburg.