Tower cranes are being used frequently for large building construction projects. They are needed for the heavy lifting and positioning of supplies and machinery. Tower cranes provide a unique configuration that provides numerous advantages over more conventional cranes. These benefits comprise: quiet electrical operation, higher vertical lift, reduced space requirements and increased capacities.
Hammerhead Crane
The hammerhead crane is usually associated with a tower crane. The long horizontal jib is connected to a vertical tower, in this situation. One end of the jib acts as a counterweight and the other end of the jib extends horizontally over the worksite. On the hammerhead crane, there is a trolley. This trolley holds the lifting cable and travels along the length of the jib. The tower crane could operate anywhere within the jib's radius.
Self-Erecting Tower Cranes
A self-erecting crane is capable of completely assembling itself at the jobsite without any help from a secondary crane. This really saves time in equipment expenses and provides a huge benefit in setup time too. Self-erecting cranes are usually remote-controlled from the ground, although there are several models that have an operator cab built onto the jib.
Self-erecting cranes are normally freestanding and this allows them the opportunity to be able to be moved around. There are some models that have a telescoping tower that enables the crane to work at multiple heights without the need to reconfigure the tower.
Luffing Jib Tower Crane
Often, within urban work settings, there is not enough clearance or space for the jib to freely rotate without being blocked by existing buildings. A luffing jib tower crane is ideal for such tight spaces. Nearly all tower cranes have a fixed horizontal jib. The driver can raise or lower a luffing jib in order to enable the crane to swing in a reduced radius.