Tower Crane Rentals and Sales San Bernardino - Cranes are a globally recognized form of industrial equipment that is commonly used in the materials handling industry. Oftentimes, they are equipped with chains, wire ropes, a hoist rope or sheaves. These products allow cranes to hoist materials vertically and transport them horizontally. Cranes make transporting cumbersome loads including machinery, shipping containers and crates much easier.
Freight Transportation
Cranes simplify loading and unloading and moving items. Different models have various lifting capacities. Cranes deliver a major mechanical advantage, allowing people to lift tremendous amounts of freight. Cranes are commonly found on construction sites and a variety of industries.
Specified Use
Small jib cranes are ideal for cramped environments such as workshops. Giant tower cranes are a different breed that is useful for high-rise construction. There are numerous cranes suited for many different jobs. They can help provide access to tight spaces. Floating cranes can be useful for salvaging sunken ships and other marine items. They may also be used on oil rigs.
Tower Cranes
The type of crane that is fixed on a concrete slab is a tower crane. This unit is often seen mounted to sides of structures to provide superior lifting and height. These cranes are used in residential and commercial construction. The base is mounted to the mast which can create further reach by extension. The slewing unit of the crane and it’s connected mast allow rotation of the crane. The long horizontal jib, the shorter counter-jib and the operator’s cab are all found above the slewing portion.
The majority of the load is carried via the long horizontal jib. The counterweight is created by the counter-jib that may utilize concrete blocks. The jib handles the load to and from the center of the crane. Usually, the operator of the crane resides in a cab situated on top of the tower, attached to the turntable; however, it may be capable of being mounted on the jib. There is a radio remote control feature that operators can access from the ground. The crane operator uses electric motors to operate the lifting hook and control wire rope cables within a system of sheaves. The cargo hook, along with its motor is found in the long horizontal arm. The operator commonly works together with a rigger to safely hook and unhook loads. Hand signals are an important part of daily safety. The rigger determines the crane’s lifting schedule and is responsible to make sure everything load and rigging wise is reliable and safe.
Truck-Mounted Cranes
Truck mounted cranes consist of two parts including the boom and the carrier. These two items have a turntable to attach them, allowing the higher portion the ability to swing from side-to-side. Typically, modern hydraulic truck cranes feature single engines. The engine supplies power to both the undercarriage and the crane. Hydraulics are responsible for providing power to the upper via the turntable from the pump mounted on the lower portion. Earlier hydraulic crane trucks commonly had two engines. The first engine enabled the crane to travel down the road while the second engine controlled the hydraulic pump for the outriggers and jacks. There are operators who would rather run the older two-engine models due to the frequent turntable leaks that often occur in some of the newer designs.
Cranes commonly have to travel via roads to get to different jobs. This can eliminate industrial transportation requirements unless the crane is sizeable with certain weight restrictions. Transportation falls under local laws. Generally, bigger cranes have trailers to help the load become distributed over many axles. There are some crane models that can be taken apart to accommodate particular requirements. A crane will often be followed by another truck containing the counterweights that are disassembled for travel.
Outriggers & Stability
Stability is achieved by horizontal outriggers extending from the chassis of the crane. These are used vertically to stabilize the machine and keep it level during hoisting and stationary activities. Some truck crane units can travel at slow speeds even while carrying a suspended load. Care is given to ensure the load doesn’t swing during travel. Most of the anti-tipping capability is related to how stiff the chassis suspension is. Moving counterweights are included in a variety of models to amplify stabilization further than what the outriggers offer. Some of the most stable loads are suspended loads since the weight of the crane serves as a counterweight. Electronic safeguards are in place to monitor the maximum safe loads for stationary work and traveling speeds.
Overhead and Bridge Cranes
A bridge crane is a type of overhead crane. This concept features a hook-and-line mechanism and a crane with a horizontal beam that is made to run along rails. These cranes are similar to gantry cranes that are typically found in factory buildings. They attach to rails which run alongside two walls. Double beam or single beam construction model crane designs are available for overhead cranes, which may rely on complex box girder beam or regular steel beams. Certain overhead cranes have the ability to use a control pendant for operation. Locations requiring heavy lifting from ten tons and higher may use a double girder bridge. Higher system integrity and a lower deadweight may be delivered via the box girder style. Cargo can be lifted with a hoist and the trolley that can travel along the bridge along with the bridge component covered by the crane.
The steel industry is familiar with overhead cranes throughout the manufacturing process. Steel is typically handled by an overhead crane until it is transformed into a finished piece and leaves the factory. From raw materials to pouring hot steel and moving finished product, overhead cranes handle steel at every stage. Steel components are loaded by overhead crane and lifted onto trucks. Metal stampers and fabricators rely on this equipment daily as does the automobile industry to handle raw materials.
Pulp & Paper Mills
Pulp mill maintenance commonly relies on bridge cranes. They are responsible for removing items including heavy press rolls. Bridge cranes are used in the construction of paper machines as they facilitate the installation of giant equipment and apparatus including the cast iron paper drying drums and other massive items.
Loader Crane
Electrically powered with an articulated arm attached to a trailer or a truck and specified for unloading and loading, the loader crane consists of many jointed components that enable the machine to be folded into a small space between uses. These telescoping abilities are useful. Some models can even load or stow themselves on their own without any operator intervention. The operator can move around the machine in order to view the load. Current models often feature a portable cabled control system or radio-linked system that works beside hydraulic controls that are mounted on the crane.
Gantry Crane
A gantry crane has a hoist in a fixed machinery house or on a trolley that runs horizontally along rails, usually fitted on a single beam or two beams. The crane frame is supported via beams and wheels on a gantry system and runs on the gantry rail which is generally perpendicular to the trolley direction of travel. The gantry cranes are available in numerous sizes. Some models can move extremely heavy loads for industrial and shipyard applications.
Tower Cranes PDF
