Tower Cranes Grow to New Heights
Within the tower crane business, the 1950s featured numerous significant milestones in tower crane development and design. There were a range of manufacturers were beginning to produce more bottom slewing cranes that had telescoping mast. These machines dominated the construction business for both apartment block and office construction. Many of the top tower crane manufacturers abandoned the use of cantilever jib designs. In its place, they made the switch to luffing jibs and eventually, utilizing luffing jibs became the standard method.
Manufacturers based in Europe were also really important in the development and design of tower cranes. Construction locations on the continent were usually tight places. Depending on rail systems to transport several tower cranes, ended up being very inconvenient and expensive. 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 that allowed sections of mast to be inserted into the crane so that it can grow along with the structures it was constructing upwards.
These particular cranes have long jibs and could cover a bigger work area. All of these developments led to the practice of erecting and anchoring cranes inside the lift shaft of a building. Then, this is the technique 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. Furthermore, focus was spent on faster erection strategies with the most significant developments being made in the drive technology department, among other things.