Crawler Crane
The crawler crane is a specific kind of mobile crane which is available with either a telescopic boom or a lattice boom which moves upon crawler tracks. Because this unit is a self-propelled crane, it could move around a jobsite and completing tasks without a lot of set-up. Because of their enormous size and weight, crawler cranes are are difficult to transport from one site to another and are rather expensive. The crawler's tracks provide the equipment stability and allow the crane to work without using outriggers, however, there are several models that do use outriggers. Also, the tracks provide the equipment's movement.
Early Mobile Cranes
The very first mobile cranes were initially mounted to train cars. They moved along short rail lines that were particularly constructed for the project. When the 20th century arrived, the crawler tractor changed and this brought the introduction of crawler tracks to the agricultural industry and the construction business. Not long after, excavators adopted the crawler tracks and this further showcased the equipment's versatility. It was not long after before manufacturers of cranes decided that the crawler track market was a safe bet.
The Very First Crawler Crane
In the 1920s, Northwest Engineering, a crane manufacturer in the United States, mounted its first crane on crawler tracks. It described the new machinery as a "locomotive crane, independent of tracks and moveable under its own power." By the mid-1920s, crawler tracks had become the chosen means of traction for heavy crane uses.
The Speedcrane
Developed by Charles and Ray Moore of Chicago, Illinois; the Moore Speedcrane was among the first to attempt to copy rail lines for cranes. Made within Fort Wayne, Indiana, the Speedcrane was 15 ton, steam-powered, wheel-mounted crane. During the year 1925, a company referred to as Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co, from Manitowoc, Wisconsin recognized the marketability and the potential of the tracked crane. They decided to team up with the Moore brothers so as to produce it and go into business.