Tower Cranes Grow to New Heights
During the 1950s in the tower crane industry, there were many significant developments in the design of these big cranes. Many different manufacturers were started making bottom slewing cranes with a telescoping mast. These types of machinery dominated the construction business for apartment block and office construction. Many of the leading tower crane manufacturers abandoned the use of cantilever jib designs. Instead, they made the switch to luffing jibs and eventually, the use of luffing jibs became the regular method.
Manufacturers based in Europe were also really important in the development and design of tower cranes. Construction sites on the continent were often constricted areas. Having to depend upon rail systems to transport a large number of tower cranes, ended up being too expensive and inconvenient. A number of manufacturers were providing saddle jib cranes that had hook heights of 80 meters or 262 feet. These kinds of cranes were equipped with self-climbing mechanisms which allowed sections of mast to be inserted into the crane so that it could grow along with the structures it was building upwards.
These specific cranes have long jibs and can cover a larger work area. All of these developments precipitated the practice of constructing and anchoring cranes in a building's lift shaft. After that, this is the technique which became the industry standard.
The main focus on tower crane design and development from the 1960s started on covering a higher load moment, covering a bigger job radius, climbing mechanisms and technology, faster erection strategies, and new control systems. Additionally, focus was spent on faster erection strategies with the most essential developments being made in the drive technology department, among other things.