Tower cranes are being used regularly for large building construction projects. They are needed for the heavy lifting and placing of supplies and machinery. Tower cranes offer a unique configuration that offers numerous advantages over more conventional cranes. These benefits include: higher vertical lift, quiet electrical operation, reduced space requirements and increased capacities.
Hammerhead Crane
The hammerhead crane is commonly associated with a tower crane. The long horizontal jib is attached to a vertical tower, in this situation. One end of the jib acts as a counterweight and the other end of the jib extends horizontally over the worksite. On the hammerhead crane, there is a trolley. This trolley has the lifting cable and travels along the length of the jib. The tower crane could operate anywhere in the jib's radius.
Self-Erecting Tower Cranes
Self-erecting cranes are often assembled on site with the help of a different crane. This really saves time in equipment costs and provides a huge advantage in setup time too. Self-erecting cranes are usually remote-controlled from the ground, though there are some models that have an operator cab built onto the jib.
Self-erecting cranes are generally freestanding and this enables them the opportunity to be able to be moved around. There are several models that have a telescoping tower which allows the crane to work at multiple heights without the need to reconfigure the tower.
Luffing Jib Tower Crane
The majority of urban work settings do not have enough space or clearance for the jib to rotate freely without existing buildings blocking its movement. A luffing jib tower crane is ideal for such confined areas. The majority of tower cranes have a fixed horizontal jib. The driver could raise or lower a luffing jib in order to allow the crane to swing in a reduced radius.