Several industrial and commercial buildings could reach heights of more than 60 stories. Obviously, when these buildings are being built, they require equally tall cranes to transport the supplies to the upper floors. There are cranes that have their own vehicle connected or other types that are operated from the back of trucks. Tower cranes are the largest kinds offered on the market.
Tower cranes are stand-alone structures found as part of a major city's downtown skyline on high-rise building projects. Wherever new construction like apartment buildings and skyscrapers and commercial facilities like shopping center are being constructed, odds are a crane will be on site.
Kinds
There are two different types of cranes: jib crane of the boom crane. The jib is a metal frame which extends from the main section. On a flat tower crane, the jib remains horizontal as it carries things. On a luffing kind of tower crane, the jib could ratchet to upward or downward angles. The lifting capacity for both kinds could vary from 30,000 lbs. to 10,000 pounds
Body
The body of the crane is composed of a mast. This is a vertical steel frame that is a combination of individual parts. In order to increase the overall height of the equipment, sections are added. The mast extends upward to where the desired height is, to the control module, which is a small room that has glass windows on all four sides or to the tower as it is also referred to. The driver of the crane works from inside of the tower.
Lift
The crane utilizes a braided metal cord to be able to raise materials. This cord extends out from a motor situated next to the control module to the end of the jib or boom. There is a pulley system located at the end of the jib, through which the cord is positioned and lowered down. The jib which holds the cord becomes balanced by a counter jib situated on the tower's opposite side. The counter jib has weights. These weights help to prevent the crane from toppling over when heavy supplies are carried.