City Cranes
The term "City Crane" means a small 2-axle mobile crane that is designed to be utilized particularly in compact places where regular cranes are unable to venture. These city cranes are popular alternatives for use within buildings or through gated areas.
City cranes were initially developed in the 1990s as a response to the increasing urban density in Japan. There are always new construction projects cramming their ways into Japanese cities, making it necessary for a crane to have the ability to navigate the nooks and crannies of Japanese streets.
Essentially, city cranes are small rough terrain cranes that are made 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 less space than a comparable horizontal boom would. Combined with the short chassis and the independent steering, the city crane is capable of turning in compact spots which will be otherwise unobtainable by other crane models.
Conventional Truck Crane
A conventional truck crane is a mobile crane which has a lattice boom. The lattice boom is significantly lighter in weight compared to a hydraulic truck crane boom. The multiple sections on a lattice boom could be added so that the crane can reach up and over an obstacle. Conventional truck cranes do not lower and raise their loads utilizing any hydraulic power and need separate power in order to move down and up.
Manitowoc made the very first ever Speedcrane. It proved to be a successful device though lots of adjustments needed to be added later on. Manitowoc hired Roy Moore as a crane designer to help streamline the design. He understood the industry was changing towards internal combustion engines from original steam powered methods and designed his crane to change with the times. The Speedcrane was redesigned for a gasoline engine.