Tower cranes are being utilized frequently for huge building construction projects. They are necessary for the heavy lifting and placing of materials and machinery. Tower cranes offer a different configuration which offers many advantages over more traditional cranes. These advantages comprise: higher vertical lift, quiet electrical operation, increased capacities, and reduced space requirements.
Hammerhead Crane
The hammerhead crane is commonly associated with a tower crane. The long horizontal jib is attached to a vertical tower, in this case. One end of the jib extends horizontally over the worksite and the other end of the jib acts as a counterweight. There is a trolley on the hammerhead crane. This trolley has the lifting cable and travels along the length of the jib. The tower crane is capable of operating anywhere within the jib's radius.
Self-Erecting Tower Cranes
Self-erecting cranes are normally assembled on site with the help of a different crane. This greatly saves time in equipment expenses and provides a huge advantage in setup time as well. Self-erecting cranes are normally remote-controlled from the ground, though there are several models that have an operator cab built onto the jib.
The self-erecting crane is usually freestanding to allow them the opportunity to be moved around. There are several models that have a telescoping tower that allows the crane to work at various heights without the need to reconfigure the tower.
Luffing Jib Tower Crane
Normally, within urban work settings, there is not enough space or clearance for the jib to rotate freely without being blocked by existing buildings. A luffing jib tower crane is great for such confined spaces. The majority of tower cranes have a fixed horizontal jib. The operator could raise or lower a luffing jib in order to enable the crane to swing in a reduced radius.