Usually the base which is bolted into a big concrete pad provides the necessary support for a tower crane. The base is connected to a mast or a tower and stabilizes the crane which is affixed to the inside of the building's structure. Normally, this attachment point is to a concrete lift or to an elevator shaft.
Generally, the mast is a triangulated lattice structure measuring 10 feet square or 0.9m2. The slewing unit is connected to the very top of the mast. The slewing unit consists of a gear and a motor which enable the crane to rotate.
Tower cranes are able to have a maximum unsupported height of 80m or 265 feet. The maximum lifting capacity of a tower crane is 16,642 kilograms or 39,690 lbs. with counter weights of 20 tons. Moreover, two limit switches are utilized to be able to make certain that the driver does not overload the crane. There is also another safety feature called a load moment switch to ensure that the driver does not exceed the ton meter load rating. Lastly, the tower crane has a maximum reach of 70 meters or 230 feet.
There is definitely a science involved with erecting a tower crane, particularly due to their extreme heights. At first, the stationary structure has to be transported to the construction site by using a large tractor-trailer rig setup. After that, a mobile crane is utilized in order to assemble the machine part of the crane and the jib. Then, these parts are attached to the mast. The mobile crane next adds counterweights. Crawler cranes and forklifts may be some of the other industrial machines that is used to erect a crane.
Mast extensions are added to the crane as the building is erected. This is how the height of the crane could match the building's height. The crane crew uses what is called a top climber or a climbing frame that fits between the slewing unit and the top of the mast. A weight is hung on the jib by the work crew so as to balance the counterweight. When complete, the slewing unit could detach from the top of the mast. In the top climber, hydraulic rams are used to adjust the slewing unit up an extra 20 feet or 6.1m. Next, the crane driver uses the crane to insert and bolt into position one more mast section piece.