City Cranes
"City Crane" is a term used to define small 2-axle mobile cranes which can operate in tight spaces where the typical crane cannot access. These city cranes are popular choices to be utilized within buildings or through gated places.
City cranes were initially developed in the 1990s as a response to the increasing urban density within Japan. There are always new construction projects cramming their ways into the cities in Japan, making it necessary for a crane to have the ability to steer through the nooks and crannies of Japanese roads.
Essentially, city cranes are small rough terrain cranes which are made 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 could turn in compact spots which would be otherwise unaccessible by other crane designs.
Conventional Truck Crane
Traditional truck cranes are mobile cranes with lattice booms. This boom is a lot lighter boom than is found with a hydraulic truck crane boom. The many sections on a lattice boom can be added so that the crane could reach up and over an obstacle. Traditional truck cranes do not raise and lower their loads utilizing any hydraulic power and require separate power in order to move up and down.
The first ever Speedcrane was built by Manitowoc. It was a successful device even if further adjustments needed to be added. 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 methods and designed his crane to change with the times. The Speedcrane was redesigned for a gasoline engine.