City Cranes
The term "City Crane" means a small 2-axle mobile crane which is designed to be used specially in compact places where regular cranes could not venture. These city cranes are popular alternatives for use in buildings or through gated places.
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 navigate the nooks and crannies of Japanese streets.
Basically, city cranes are small rough terrain cranes which are built to be road legal. These cranes are characterized by having a 2-axle design with independent steering on each axle, a slanted retractable boom, a single cab and a short chassis. 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 that would be otherwise unobtainable by other kinds of cranes.
Conventional Truck Crane
A conventional truck crane is a mobile crane that has a lattice boom. The lattice boom is substantially lighter in weight compared to a hydraulic truck crane boom. The many sections on a lattice boom could be added so that the crane can reach up and over an obstacle. Conventional truck cranes do not raise and lower their cargo utilizing any hydraulic power and require separate power to be able to move up and down.
Manitowoc made the first ever Speedcrane. It proved to be a successful machine though lots of adjustments needed to be added later on. Manitowoc hired Roy Moore as a crane designer to help streamline the design. He understood the industry was changing towards IC engines from original steam powered means and designed his crane to change with the times. The Speedcrane was redesigned for a gasoline engine.