Tower Cranes Grow to New Heights
Within the tower crane industry, the 1950s showcased numerous important milestones in tower crane development and design. There were a variety of manufacturers were starting to make more bottom slewing cranes which had telescoping mast. These kinds of machines dominated the construction market for both office and apartment block construction. Many of the top tower crane manufacturers didn't utilize cantilever jib designs. Instead, they made the switch to luffing jibs and eventually, utilizing luffing jibs became the regular practice.
Manufacturers based in Europe were also heavily influential in the development and design of tower cranes. Construction areas on the continent were normally tight areas. Relying on rail systems to move several tower cranes, ended up being very inconvenient and expensive. Some manufacturers were offering saddle jib cranes that had hook heights of 262 feet or 80 meters. These cranes were outfitted with self-climbing mechanisms which allowed sections of mast to be inserted into the crane so that it could grow along with the structures it was building upwards.
These specific cranes have long jibs and can cover a bigger work area. All of these developments precipitated the practice of erecting and anchoring cranes inside the lift shaft of a building. Afterwards, this is the method which became the industry standard.
From the 1960s, the main focus on tower crane development and design started to cover a higher load moment, covering a bigger job radius, climbing mechanisms and technology, faster erection strategies, and new control systems. Additionally, focus was spent on faster erection strategies with the most significant developments being made in the drive technology department, among other things.