Tower Crane Rentals and Sales Vancouver - Cranes are a globally recognized form of industrial equipment that is commonly used in the materials handling industry. Depending on the application, cranes may have wire ropes, sheaves, chains or a hoist rope. These products allow cranes to hoist materials vertically and transport them horizontally. Cranes make transporting cumbersome loads including machinery, shipping containers and crates much easier.
Freight Transportation
Cranes simplify loading and unloading and moving items. Different models have various lifting capacities. 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
Small jib cranes are ideal for cramped environments such as workshops. Giant tower cranes are a different breed that is useful for high-rise construction. There is a crane perfectly suited for a variety of applications. Some cranes can allow access to tight spaces. Floating cranes can be useful for salvaging sunken ships and other marine items. They may also be used on oil rigs.
Tower Cranes
The type of crane that is fixed on a concrete slab is a tower crane. This unit is often seen mounted to sides of structures to provide superior lifting and height. Popular for building tall commercial buildings and residential structures, the base is mounted to the mast to create even further reach once extended. The mast is connected to the slewing unit of the crane that enables it to rotate. On top of the slewing portion are three parts known as the operator’s cab, the shorter counter-jib and the long horizontal jib.
The main component responsible for carrying the load is the long horizontal jib. The counter-jib creates the counterweight and it may rely on concrete blocks. The jib handles the load to and from the center of the crane. Typically, the operator is found inside of a cab located on top of the tower that is attached to the turntable; however, it can be mounted on the jib alternatively. The operator may rely on a radio remote control apparatus 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. Modern hydraulic truck cranes are generally single-engine machines. This engine has the responsibility of providing power to the undercarriage and the crane. The pump mounted on the lower area of the crane supplies power to the upper part of the crane via hydraulics and a turntable. Original, older hydraulic crane truck models commonly featured dual engines. The first engine enabled the crane to travel down the road while the second engine controlled the hydraulic pump for the outriggers and jacks. Certain operators prefer the two-engine models due to the turntable leaks that commonly occur in newer design models.
You may have witnessed cranes traveling on roads to travel from site to site. This can eliminate the need for industrial transportation requirements unless the crane is of sizeable weight with size restrictions. Transportation falls under local laws. Generally, bigger cranes have trailers to help the load become distributed over many axles. Some models can be disassembled to meet specific requirements. A crane will often be followed by another truck containing the counterweights that are disassembled for travel.
Outriggers & Stability
Outriggers horizontally extend from the cranes’ chassis to provide stability. These are used vertically to stabilize the machine and keep it level during hoisting and stationary activities. Certain truck crane models have the capacity to travel slowly while maintaining a suspended load. Extra care is taken to make sure the load does not swing side to side from the travel direction. Most of the anti-tipping capability is related to how stiff the chassis suspension is. Moving counterweights are included in a variety of models to amplify stabilization further than what the outriggers offer. Suspended loads are among the most stable due to the majority of the crane’s weight acting as a counterweight. Electronic safeguards are in place to monitor the maximum safe loads for stationary work and traveling speeds.
Overhead and Bridge Cranes
An overhead crane is often referred to as a bridge crane. This apparatus consists of a crane with a horizontal beam and a hook-and-line mechanism that is designed to run along widely spaced rails. This type of crane resembles a gantry crane. They are common within factory buildings and attach to rails that run down two walls. Overhead cranes may feature single or double beam construction and may use regular steel or complex box girder beams. A control pendant may be used to operate the crane. 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. The hoist can lift the cargo along with the bridge portion covered by the crane and the trolley that can travel along the bridge.
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. An overhead crane handles all kinds of steel including raw materials being pored to transporting finished oils and storing hot steel. Steel components are loaded by overhead crane and lifted onto trucks. Metal stampers and fabricators rely on this equipment daily as does the automobile industry to handle raw materials.
Pulp & Paper Mills
Bridge cranes are commonly used in pulp mill maintenance. They are responsible for removing equipment including heavy press rolls. Bridge cranes utilized in paper machine construction help to install large apparatus’ and equipment including huge components such as cast-iron paper drying drums and similar items.
Loader Crane
Electrically powered with an articulated arm attached to a trailer or a truck and specified for unloading and loading, the loader crane consists of many jointed components that enable the machine to be folded into a small space between uses. These telescoping abilities are useful. Some models can even load or stow themselves on their own without any operator intervention. To complete viewing access of the load, the operator must move around the vehicle. Hydraulic controls that are mounted on the crane may work with a portable cabled control system and a radio-linked system.
Gantry Crane
A gantry crane has a hoist in a fixed machinery house or on a trolley that runs horizontally along rails, usually fitted on a single beam or two beams. 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
