There are some industrial and commercial buildings that now surpass 60 stories or more. These buildings all need tall cranes to help move the materials to the higher floors. There are cranes which are operated from the rear of trucks or other kinds which have their own vehicle connected. Tower cranes are the largest kinds on the market.
Tower cranes are stand-alone structures found as part of a major city's downtown skyline on high-rise building projects. Wherever new construction like for instance apartment buildings and skyscrapers and commercial facilities such as shopping center are being constructed, odds are a crane will be on site.
Types
There are two different types of cranes: boom crane or the jib crane. The jib is a metal frame which extends from the main section. On a flat tower crane, the jib remains horizontal as it carries things. On a luffing type of tower crane, the jib can ratchet to upward or downward angles. The lifting capacity for both kinds could vary from 30,000 lbs. to 10,000 pounds
Body
The crane's body is composed of a mast. This is a vertical steel frame which is a combination of separate parts. In order to increase the overall height of the machinery, sections are added. The mast extends upward to wherever the desired height is, to the control module, which is a small room that has glass windows on all four sides or to the tower as it is also called. The crane operator works from inside of the tower.
Lift
The crane uses a braided metal cord to raise materials. This cord extends out from a motor situated near the control module to the end of the jib or boom. There is a pulley system situated at the end of the jib, through which the cord is positioned and lowered down. The jib that holds the cord becomes balanced by a counter jib located on the tower's opposite side. The counter jib has weights. These weights help to prevent the crane from tipping over when heavy supplies are lifted.