City Cranes
The term "City Crane" means a small 2-axle mobile crane that is designed to be utilized specially in tight places where regular cranes could not venture. These city cranes are great alternatives for use in buildings or through gated places.
City cranes were initially developed during the 1990s as a response to the increasing urban density within Japan. There are continually new construction projects cramming their ways into the cities in Japan, making it vital for a crane to have the ability to navigate the nooks and crannies of Japanese roads.
Essentially, city cranes are small rough terrain cranes which are built to be road legal. These cranes are characterized by having a 2-axle design with independent steering on each axle, a slanted retractable boom, a single cab and a short chassis. The slanted retractable boom design takes up a lot less space than a comparable horizontal boom would. Combined with the independent steering and the short chassis, the city crane is capable of turning in compact spots which would be otherwise unaccessible by other types of cranes.
Conventional Truck Crane
A conventional truck crane is a mobile crane that has a lattice boom. The lattice boom is significantly lighter in weight than a hydraulic truck crane boom. The many sections on a lattice boom can be added so that the crane can reach up and over an obstacle. Traditional truck cranes need separate power in order to move up and down and do not lower and raise their cargo with any hydraulic power.
Manitowoc built the first ever Speedcrane. It proved to be a successful device though many adjustments had to be added later on. Manitowoc hired Roy Moore as a crane designer to help streamline the design. He knew the industry was moving towards IC engines from original steam powered means and designed his crane to change with the times. The Speedcrane was redesigned for a gasoline engine.