City Cranes
"City Crane" is a term utilized to define small 2-axle mobile cranes that can operate in tight areas where the standard crane could not access. These city cranes are popular alternatives to be used inside buildings or through gated places.
During the 1990s, city cranes were originally developed in response to the growing urban density within Japan. There are continually new construction projects cramming their ways into the cities in Japan, making it necessary for a crane to have the ability to navigate the nooks and crannies of Japanese roads.
Basically, city cranes are small rough terrain cranes which are made to be road legal. These cranes are characterized by having a 2-axle design with independent steering on each axle, a short chassis, a slanted retractable boom and a single cab. 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 could turn in tight spots that will be otherwise unobtainable by other crane designs.
Conventional Truck Crane
A traditional truck crane is a mobile crane that has a lattice boom. The lattice boom is substantially lighter in weight than a hydraulic truck crane boom. The multiple sections on a lattice boom can be added so that the crane could reach up and over an obstacle. Traditional truck cranes require separate power in order to move down and up and do not raise and lower their loads using any hydraulic power.
Manitowoc made the very first ever Speedcrane. It proved to be a successful machine although a lot of 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 internal combustion engines from original steam powered means and designed his crane to change with the times. The Speedcrane was redesigned for a gasoline engine.