Tower Crane Rentals and Sales Escondido - Cranes are a popular kind of industrial equipment commonly used in the materials handling industry. These machines may be outfitted with sheaves, a hoist rope, wire ropes or chains. These products allow cranes to hoist materials vertically and transport them horizontally. Heavy crates, shipping containers, machinery and similar items can be efficiently moved thanks to a variety of crane models.
Freight Transportation
Cranes simplify loading and unloading and moving items. The lifting capacity depends on the model. They provide a huge mechanical advantage and enable people to lift thousands of pounds of freight. Cranes are commonly found on construction sites and a variety of industries.
Specified Use
There are different cranes for many applications. Jib cranes can be used for tighter environments including workshops. Extensive tower cranes can be seen in construction. There is a crane perfectly suited for a variety of applications. Tight spaces may be more accessible with the use of cranes. Floating cranes can be utilized for maritime applications such as salvaging sunken items or on oil rigs.
Tower Cranes
This type of crane is fixed on a concrete slab to the ground. It is often seen attached to sides of structures as it provides excellent lifting and height capacity. These cranes are used in residential and commercial construction. The base is mounted to the mast which can create further reach by extension. The crane is capable of rotating thanks to the mast that connects to the slewing unit. Above the slewing component, the operator cab is situated, along with the long horizontal jib and the counter jib.
The long horizontal jib is the main crane component responsible for carrying the load. The counterweight is created by the counter-jib that may utilize concrete blocks. The jib contains the load to and from the crane’s center. Normally the crane operator stays inside of a cab found on top of the tower attached to the turntable; although, it may be mounted on the jib instead. Operators can use a radio remote control unit from the ground. Electric motors are used to operate the lifting hook and control wire rope cables located within a sheaves system. 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 a huge safety component used daily. The rigger has an important job dictating the crane’s lifting schedule. They are responsible for making sure all rigging is reliable and safe.
Truck-Mounted Cranes
Truck mounted cranes consist of two parts including the boom and the carrier. The carrier and the boom have an attached turntable to enable the upper component to swing from side to side. Typically, modern hydraulic truck cranes feature single engines. This engine has the responsibility of providing power to 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. Back in the day, older models of hydraulic crane trucks often had two engines. One engine allowed the crane to be pulled down the road while the other engine controlled the hydraulic pump for the jacks and outriggers. Certain operators prefer the two-engine models due to the turntable leaks that commonly occur in newer design models.
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. Local transportation laws are in place. Larger machines may have trailers to distribute the load over a variety of 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
Outriggers are extended horizontally from the chassis of the crane. The outriggers help to vertically stabilize the machine and keep it level during stationary and hoisting jobs. Certain truck crane models have the capacity to travel slowly while maintaining a suspended load. Care is given to ensure the load doesn’t swing during travel. The stiffness of the chassis suspension delivers most of the anti-tipping aspect. Counterweights can be moved and adjusted on certain models to enhance stabilization even more than what the outriggers deliver. Suspended loads are among the most stable due to the majority of the crane’s weight acting as a counterweight. There are electronic safeguards in place to regulate the maximum safe loads for traveling speeds and stationary work.
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 a gantry crane and are often found in long factory buildings and attach to rails that run down two long walls. Overhead cranes may feature single or double beam construction and may use regular steel or complex box girder beams. Some overhead cranes have the capacity to be operated with a control pendant. Areas that need heavy lifting around ten tons or more can rely on 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. An overhead crane typically handles steel until it exits the factory as a completed item. From raw materials to pouring hot steel and moving finished product, overhead cranes handle steel at every stage. Overhead cranes lift steel components onto trucks. Metal fabricators and stampers use this equipment every day including the auto industry to transport raw materials.
Pulp & Paper Mills
Bridge cranes are often relied on for regular pulp mill maintenance including removing equipment such as heavy press rolls. Paper machines rely on bridge cranes during construction to install massive equipment including cast iron paper drying drums and other heavy apparatus.
Loader Crane
Powered with an electric articulated arm attached to a trailer or truck for loading and unloading, the loader crane is complete with many joints to facilitate folding the machine into a small space between jobs. Telescopic sections are common. Certain models are equipped to stow themselves or load themselves without any instruction from the operator The operator needs to move around the vehicle for viewing access to the load. Modern models may rely on a radio-linked system or a portable cabled control system that works alongside hydraulic controls that are mounted on the crane.
Gantry Crane
A gantry crane features a hoist located on a trolley running horizontally along rails, often fitted on two beams or a single beam or in a fixed machinery house. 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. These cranes come in all sizes, and some can move very heavy loads, particularly the extremely large examples used in shipyards or industrial installations.
Tower Cranes PDF
