City Cranes
"City Crane" is a term used to define small 2-axle mobile cranes that could operate in tight spaces where the typical crane cannot access. These city cranes are popular choices to be utilized inside buildings or through gated areas.
City cranes were initially developed in the 1990s as a response to the increasing urban density within Japan. There are continually new construction projects cramming their ways into the cities in Japan, making it vital for a crane to have the ability to steer through the nooks and crannies of Japanese roads.
Basically, city cranes are small rough terrain cranes which are built to be road legal. These cranes are characterized by having a 2-axle design with independent steering on each axle, a short chassis, a slanted retractable boom and a single cab. The slanted retractable boom design takes up a lot 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 tight spots that would be otherwise unaccessible by other crane designs.
Conventional Truck Crane
A conventional truck crane is a mobile crane that has a lattice boom. The lattice boom is substantially lighter in weight compared to a hydraulic truck crane boom. The many sections on a lattice boom could be added so that the crane can reach up and over an obstacle. Conventional truck cranes require separate power in order to move up and down and do not raise and lower their loads with any hydraulic power.
Manitowoc built the first ever Speedcrane. It proved to be a successful device although many adjustments needed to be added later on. Manitowoc hired Roy Moore as a crane designer to help streamline the design. He knew the industry was moving towards internal combustion engines from original steam powered means and designed his crane to change with the times. The Speedcrane was redesigned for a gasoline engine.