City Cranes
The term "City Crane" refers to a small 2-axle mobile crane which is designed to be used specially in compact places where regular cranes are unable to venture. These city cranes are great alternatives to be used in buildings or through gated areas.
City cranes were originally developed during the 1990s as a response to the increasing urban density within Japan. There are always new construction projects cramming their ways into the cities in Japan, making it vital for a crane to have the ability to navigate the nooks and crannies of Japanese streets.
Essentially, 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 single cab, a short chassis and a slanted retractable boom. The slanted retractable boom design takes up much less space than a comparable horizontal boom would. Combined with the independent steering and the short chassis, the city crane is capable of turning in compact spots that would be otherwise unobtainable by other types of cranes.
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 could be added so that the crane can reach up and over an obstacle. Traditional truck cranes do not lower and raise their loads with any hydraulic power and need separate power to be able to move up and down.
The very first ever Speedcrane was built by Manitowoc. It was a successful device even though further adjustments had to be added. Manitowoc hired Roy Moore as a crane designer to help streamline the design. He knew the industry was changing towards internal combustion engines from original steam powered methods and designed his crane to change with the times. The Speedcrane was redesigned for a gasoline engine.