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. Since this crane is self-propelled, it could move around particular work locations without the need for a lot of set up. Because of their huge weight and size, crawler cranes are are hard to transport from one location to another and are rather costly. The crawler's tracks provide the machinery stability and enable the crane to work without utilizing outriggers, however, there are some models that do use outriggers. As well, the tracks provide the movement of the machine.
Early Mobile Cranes
The very first mobile cranes were initially mounted to train cars. They moved along short rail lines which were specifically constructed for the project. Once the 20th century arrived, the crawler tractor changed and this brought the introduction of crawler tracks to the construction business as well as the agricultural business. Not long after, excavators adopted the crawler tracks and this further featured the versatility of the machinery. It was not long after when crane companies decided that the crawler track market was a safe bet.
The First Crawler Crane
Northwest Engineering, a crane manufacturer in the United States, was the 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 middle part of the 1920s, crawler tracks had become the preferred means of traction for heavy crane operations.
The Speedcrane
The Moore Speedcrane, developed by Charles and Ray Moore of Chicago, Illinois was among the first attempts to copy the rails for cranes. Manufactured within Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Speedcrane was a steam-powered, wheel-mounted, 15 ton crane. During 1925, a company known as Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, from Manitowoc, Wisconsin recognized the potential and the marketability of the tracked crane. They decided to team up with the Moore brothers in order to produce it and go into business.