City Cranes
The term "City Crane" refers to a small 2-axle mobile crane which is designed to be used specifically in compact areas where standard cranes are unable to venture. These city cranes are great choices to be used within buildings or through gated areas.
In the 1990s, city cranes were initially developed in response to the growing urban density in Japan. There are always new construction projects cramming their ways into Japanese cities, making it vital for a crane to have the ability to navigate the nooks and crannies of Japanese streets.
Essentially, 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 much less space than a comparable horizontal boom would. Combined with the short chassis and the independent steering, the city crane can turn in tight spots which would be otherwise unaccessible by other crane models.
Conventional Truck Crane
A conventional truck crane is a mobile crane which has a lattice boom. The lattice boom is significantly lighter in weight compared to a hydraulic truck crane boom. The many sections on a lattice boom could be added so that the crane could reach up and over an obstacle. Conventional truck cranes do not raise and lower their loads with any hydraulic power and need separate power in order to move up and down.
The very first ever Speedcrane was built by Manitowoc. It was a successful machine even though further adjustments had to be added. Manitowoc hired Roy Moore as a crane designer to help streamline the design. He knew the industry was moving towards internal combustion engines from original steam powered methods and designed his crane to change with the times. The Speedcrane was redesigned for a gasoline engine.