Tower cranes are being used often for big building construction projects. They are required for the heavy lifting and positioning of supplies and machinery. Tower cranes provide a unique configuration that offers numerous benefits over more traditional cranes. These benefits include: quiet electrical operation, higher vertical lift, increased capacities, and reduced space requirements.
Hammerhead Crane
The hammerhead crane is usually associated with a tower crane. The long horizontal jib is connected 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 holds the lifting cable and can travel along the length of the jib. The tower crane could operate anywhere in the jib's radius.
Self-Erecting Tower Cranes
Self-erecting cranes are often assembled on site with the help of another crane. This really saves time in equipment expenses and provides a huge benefit in setup time too. Self-erecting cranes are usually remote-controlled from the ground, even if there are several models which have an operator cab built onto the jib.
The self-erecting crane is usually freestanding to enable them the opportunity to be moved around. There are some models which have a telescoping tower which allows the crane to work at various heights without the need to reconfigure the tower.
Luffing Jib Tower Crane
Usually, in urban work settings, there is not enough space or clearance for the jib to rotate freely without being blocked by existing buildings. A luffing jib tower crane is ideal for such tight areas. Most tower cranes have a fixed horizontal jib. The driver could raise or lower a luffing jib in order to allow the crane to swing in a reduced radius.