Tower Cranes Grow to New Heights
During the 1950s in the tower crane industry, there were numerous significant developments in the design of these large cranes. Many different manufacturers were started making bottom slewing cranes with a telescoping mast. These types of machinery dominated the construction business for both apartment block and office construction. Many of the top tower crane manufacturers abandoned the use of cantilever jib designs. Instead, they made the switch to luffing jibs and in time, utilizing luffing jibs became the standard method.
In Europe, there were key improvements being made in the design and development of tower cranes. Usually, construction sites were constricted areas. Having to rely upon rail systems to transport a large number of tower cranes, ended up being very difficult and expensive. Some manufacturers were providing saddle jib cranes that had hook heights of 262 feet or 80 meters. These kinds of cranes were equipped with self-climbing mechanisms that enabled parts of mast to be inserted into the crane so that it could grow along with the structures it was constructing upwards.
The long jibs on these specific cranes additionally covered a larger work area. All of these developments resulted in the practice of constructing and anchoring cranes in a building's lift shaft. Afterwards, this is the method that became the industry standard.
The main focus on tower crane development and design from the 1960s started on covering a higher load moment, covering a bigger job radius, faster erection strategies, climbing mechanisms and technology, and new control systems. In addition, focus was spent on faster erection strategies with the most significant developments being made in the drive technology department, among other things.