City Cranes
The term "City Crane" means a small 2-axle mobile crane that is designed to be utilized specially in tight places where standard cranes could not venture. These city cranes are great alternatives to be used inside buildings or through gated areas.
City cranes were originally developed in the 1990s as a response to the increasing urban density within Japan. There are continually new construction projects cramming their ways into Japanese cities, making it necessary for a crane to have the ability to navigate the nooks and crannies of Japanese streets.
Essentially, city cranes are small rough terrain cranes which are made to be road legal. These cranes are characterized by having a 2-axle design with independent steering on each axle, a short chassis, a slanted retractable boom and a single cab. The slanted retractable boom design takes up less space than a comparable horizontal boom would. Combined with the independent steering and the short chassis, the city crane is capable of turning in tight spots which would be otherwise unaccessible by other kinds of cranes.
Conventional Truck Crane
A traditional truck crane is a mobile crane which has a lattice boom. The lattice boom is substantially lighter in weight than a hydraulic truck crane boom. The multiple sections on a lattice boom are able to be added so that the crane can reach over and up an obstacle. Traditional truck cranes do not raise and lower their loads using any hydraulic power and require separate power in order to move up and down.
The first ever Speedcrane was built by Manitowoc. It was a successful equipment even though further adjustments needed to be added. Manitowoc hired Roy Moore as a crane designer to help streamline the design. He knew the industry was moving towards IC engines from original steam powered methods and designed his crane to change with the times. The Speedcrane was redesigned for a gasoline engine.