City Cranes
"City Crane" is a term used to define small 2-axle mobile cranes that could operate in compact areas where the typical crane could not access. These city cranes are great choices for use through gated areas or inside buildings.
In the 1990s, city cranes were initially developed in response to the growing urban density in Japan. There are continually new construction projects cramming their ways into Japanese cities, making it necessary for a crane to have the ability to maneuver through the nooks and crannies of Japanese streets.
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 single cab, a short chassis and a slanted retractable boom. The slanted retractable boom design takes up less space than a comparable horizontal boom would. Combined with the independent steering and the short chassis, the city crane is capable of turning in tight spots which will be otherwise unaccessible by other kinds of cranes.
Conventional Truck Crane
Conventional 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 are able to be added so that the crane can reach up and over an obstacle. Traditional truck cranes require separate power in order to move down and up and do not lower and raise their cargo using any hydraulic power.
Manitowoc made the first ever Speedcrane. It proved to be a successful device though a lot of adjustments had to be added later on. Manitowoc hired Roy Moore as a crane designer to help streamline the design. He understood the industry was moving towards IC engines from original steam powered methods and designed his crane to change with the times. The Speedcrane was redesigned for a gasoline engine.