Tower Crane Rentals and Sales Rancho Cucamonga - Cranes are a popular kind of industrial equipment commonly used in the materials handling industry. These machines may be outfitted with sheaves, a hoist rope, wire ropes or chains. These components enable cranes to lift and lower items vertically as well as transporting items horizontally. Cranes make transporting cumbersome loads including machinery, shipping containers and crates much easier.
Freight Transportation
Cranes are utilized to move items in terms of making loading and unloading easier and safer. Their lifting capacity varies depending on the model. 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
There are different cranes for many applications. Jib cranes can be used for tighter environments including workshops. Extensive tower cranes can be seen in 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
This type of crane is fixed on a concrete slab to the ground. It is often seen attached to sides of structures as it provides excellent lifting and height capacity. Popular for building tall commercial buildings and residential structures, the base is mounted to the mast to create even further reach once extended. The slewing unit of the crane and it’s connected mast allow rotation of the crane. The long horizontal jib, the shorter counter-jib and the operator’s cab are all found above the slewing portion.
The long horizontal jib is the main crane component responsible for carrying the load. The counterweight is created by the counter-jib that may utilize concrete blocks. The jib contains the load to and from the crane’s center. Normally the crane operator stays inside of a cab found on top of the tower attached to the turntable; although, it may be mounted on the jib instead. Operators can use a radio remote control unit from the ground. The operator relies on electric motors to control wire rope cables in a system of sheaves and control the lifting hook. The cargo hook, along with its motor is found in the long horizontal arm. Often, the operator works alongside a rigger to accurately coordinate unhooking and hooking loads. Daily safety requires many important hand signals. 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. There are operators who would rather run the older two-engine models due to the frequent turntable leaks that often occur in some of the newer designs.
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. Local laws may be in place regarding transportation. Typically, larger cranes are outfitted with trailers to help distribute the load over numerous axles. There are some crane models that can be taken apart to accommodate particular requirements. Often an additional truck will follow the crane. The truck has the counterweights that have been disassembled for travel.
Outriggers & Stability
Stability is achieved by horizontal outriggers extending from the chassis of the crane. The outriggers help to vertically stabilize the machine and keep it level during stationary and hoisting jobs. Some truck crane units can travel at slow speeds even while carrying a suspended load. Extra care is taken to make sure the load does not swing side to side from the travel direction. The majority of the anti-tipping aspect is related to the stiffness of the chassis suspension. Many models include moving counterweights to be adjusted to enhance stabilization farther than what the outriggers provide. Suspended loads are some of the most stable with most of the crane’s weight functioning like 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 a kind of crane commonly called a bridge crane. This concept features a hook-and-line mechanism and a crane with a horizontal beam that is made to run along rails. These cranes are similar to a gantry crane and are often found in long factory buildings and attach to rails that run down two long 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. A double girder bridge can be used in places that require heavy lifting such as 10 tons or more. The box girder design creates a system featuring higher system integrity with a lower deadweight. The hoist is another item that is utilized to lift the cargo, the bridge spanning the portion covered by the crane and a trolley to move along the bridge.
The steel industry relies on overhead cranes for much of the manufacturing. Steel is typically handled by an overhead crane until it is transformed into a finished piece and leaves the factory. An overhead crane handles all kinds of steel including raw materials being pored to transporting finished oils and storing hot steel. Steel items are moved onto trucks via overhead cranes. Metal fabricators and stampers and the automobile industry rely on these machines.
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
Powered with an electric articulated arm attached to a trailer or truck for loading and unloading, the loader crane is complete with many joints to facilitate folding the machine into a small space between jobs. These telescoping abilities are useful. Some models can even load or stow themselves on their own without any operator intervention. The operator needs to move around the vehicle for viewing access to the load. 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 gantry system supports the crane frame with equalized beams. Wheels are running along the gantry rail, typically perpendicular to the direction the trolley travels. These cranes are available in many sizes and capable of moving heavy and cumbersome loads for industrial applications and in shipyards.
Tower Cranes PDF