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