Tower Cranes Grow to New Heights
In the 1950s in the tower crane industry, there were many significant developments in the design of these large cranes. Numerous manufacturers were started producing bottom slewing cranes with a telescoping mast. These equipments dominated the construction market for apartment block and office construction. A lot of of the leading tower crane manufacturers discarded the use of cantilever jib designs. In its place, they made the switch to luffing jibs and in time, using luffing jibs became the regular practice.
Within Europe, there were key improvements being made in the design and development of tower cranes. Normally, construction sites were constricted places. Having to depend upon rail systems to move several tower cranes, became too expensive and inconvenient. A number of manufacturers were providing saddle jib cranes that had hook heights of 80 meters or 262 feet. These types of cranes were equipped with self-climbing mechanisms which allowed sections of mast to be inserted into the crane so that it can grow along with the structures it was building upwards.
The long jibs on these specific cranes additionally covered a bigger work area. All of these developments precipitated the practice of erecting and anchoring cranes inside the lift shaft of a building. After that, this is the method that became the industry standard.
The main focus on tower crane development and design from the 1960s started on covering a higher load moment, covering a bigger job radius, faster erection strategies, climbing mechanisms and technology, and new control systems. In addition, focus was spent on faster erection strategies with the most important developments being made in the drive technology department, amongst other things.