Tower cranes are being used regularly for large building construction projects. They are essential for the heavy lifting and positioning of supplies and equipment. Tower cranes offer a unique configuration which provides lots of benefits over more traditional cranes. These benefits consist of: quiet electrical operation, higher vertical lift, increased capacities, and reduced space requirements.
Hammerhead Crane
A hammerhead crane is another configuration which is most typically associated with a tower crane. In this situation, a long horizontal jib is connected to a vertical tower. One end of the jib extends horizontally over the worksite and the other end of the jib acts as a counterweight. On the hammerhead crane, there is a trolley. This trolley holds the lifting cable and could travel along the length of the jib. The tower crane can 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 assistance from another crane. This greatly saves time in equipment costs and provides a huge advantage in setup time too. Self-erecting cranes are normally remote-controlled from the ground, though there are several models which have an operator cab built onto the jib.
Self-erecting cranes are usually freestanding and this enables them the opportunity to be able to be moved around. There are several models which have a telescoping tower that enables the crane to work at various heights without the need to reconfigure the tower.
Luffing Jib Tower Crane
Normally, in 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 confined areas. Nearly all tower cranes have a fixed horizontal jib. The operator is able to raise or lower a luffing jib in order to allow the crane to swing in a reduced radius.