Tower Cranes Grow to New Heights
Throughout the 1950s in the tower crane business, there were many significant developments in the design of these big cranes. Numerous manufacturers were started making bottom slewing cranes with a telescoping mast. These kinds of machines dominated the construction business for office and apartment block construction. Many of the top tower crane manufacturers discarded the use of cantilever jib designs. In its place, they made the switch to luffing jibs and eventually, the use of luffing jibs became the standard method.
In Europe, there were key improvements being made in the development and design of tower cranes. Normally, construction sites were constricted areas. Depending on rail systems to move several tower cranes, ended up being very inconvenient and expensive. Some manufacturers were providing saddle jib cranes that had hook heights of 80 meters or 262 feet. These cranes were outfitted with self-climbing mechanisms which enabled parts of mast to be inserted into the crane so that it can 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 precipitated the practice of erecting and anchoring cranes in the lift shaft of a building. Then, this is the technique that became the industry standard.
From the 1960s, the main focus on tower crane development and design started to cover a higher load moment, covering a bigger job radius, climbing mechanisms and technology, faster erection strategies, and new control systems. Additionally, focus was spent on faster erection strategies with the most important developments being made in the drive technology department, among other things.