Tower Cranes Grow to New Heights
Throughout the 1950s in the tower crane business, there were many significant developments in the design of these huge cranes. Many different manufacturers were started producing bottom slewing cranes with a telescoping mast. These kinds of machines dominated the construction industry for both office and apartment block construction. Many of the top tower crane manufacturers discarded the use of cantilever jib designs. Instead, they made the switch to luffing jibs and in time, the use of luffing jibs became the regular method.
In Europe, there were major improvements being made in the design and development of tower cranes. Often, construction sites were constricted areas. Depending on rail systems to transport a large number of tower cranes, ended up being very expensive and difficult. A number of manufacturers were providing saddle jib cranes that had hook heights of 80 meters or 262 feet. These cranes were outfitted with self-climbing mechanisms that allowed sections of mast to be inserted into the crane so that it can grow along with the structures it was building upwards.
The long jibs on these particular cranes additionally covered a bigger work area. All of these developments resulted in the practice of building and anchoring cranes in the lift shaft of a building. Then, this is the method which became the industry standard.
The main focus on tower crane development and design from the 1960s started on covering a higher load moment, covering a larger job radius, faster erection strategies, climbing mechanisms and technology, and new control systems. Moreover, focus was spent on faster erection strategies with the most important developments being made in the drive technology department, amongst other things.