Tower cranes are being used often for large building construction projects. They are needed for the heavy lifting and placing of supplies and equipment. Tower cranes offer a unique design which offers many benefits over more conventional cranes. These benefits comprise: quiet electrical operation, higher vertical lift, 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 case. One end of the jib extends horizontally over the worksite and the other end of the jib acts as a counterweight. 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 can operate anywhere within the jib's radius.
Self-Erecting Tower Cranes
Self-erecting cranes are normally assembled on location with the assistance of another crane. This provides a huge benefit in setup time and greatly saves time in equipment costs too. Self-erecting cranes are normally remote-controlled from the ground, though there are several models which have an operator cab built onto the jib.
The self-erecting crane is normally freestanding to allow them the opportunity to be moved around. There are some models that have a telescoping tower that allows the crane to work at multiple heights without the need to reconfigure the tower.
Luffing Jib Tower Crane
Usually, in urban work settings, there is not enough clearance or space for the jib to freely rotate without being blocked by existing buildings. A luffing jib tower crane is great for such tight areas. Most tower cranes have a fixed horizontal jib. The driver can raise or lower a luffing jib in order to allow the crane to swing in a reduced radius.