Some commercial and industrial buildings could reach heights of over 60 stories. Apparently, while these buildings are being constructed, they need equally tall cranes to be able to transport the materials to the upper floors. There are cranes that have their own vehicle attached or other types that are operated from the back of trucks. Tower cranes are the biggest types available on the market.
Tower cranes are stand-alone structures seen as part of a major city's downtown skyline on high-rise building projects. Wherever new construction like skyscrapers or apartment buildings and commercial facilities such as shopping center are being constructed, chances are a crane would be on site.
Kinds
There are two different types of cranes: boom crane or the jib crane. The jib is a metal frame that extends from the main section. On a flat tower crane, the jib remains horizontal when it carries things. On a luffing type of tower crane, the jib could ratchet to downward or upward angles. The lifting capacity for both types can range from 30,000 lbs. to 10,000 lbs.
Body
The body of the crane is composed of a mast. This is a vertical steel frame which is a combination of separate sections. In order to increase the overall height of the equipment, sections are added. The mast extends upward to wherever the desired height is, to the control module, that is a small room which has glass windows on all four sides or to the tower as it is also referred to. The crane driver works from inside of the tower.
Lift
The crane uses a braided metal cord to raise supplies. This cord extends out from a motor situated near the control module to the end of the boom or jib. There is a pulley system located at the end of the jib, through which the cord is positioned and lowered down. The jib that holds the cord becomes balanced by a counter jib located on the tower's opposite side. The counter jib holds weights. These weights help to prevent the crane from tipping over when raising heavy supplies.