City Cranes
The term "City Crane" refers to a small 2-axle mobile crane that is made to be used specially in compact areas where regular cranes are unable to venture. These city cranes are popular choices for use inside buildings or through gated places.
City cranes were originally developed in the 1990s as a response to the increasing urban density in Japan. There are always new construction projects cramming their ways into Japanese cities, making it vital for a crane to have the ability to steer through the nooks and crannies of Japanese streets.
Basically, city cranes are small rough terrain cranes that 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 short chassis and the independent steering, the city crane is capable of turning in tight spots that will be otherwise unaccessible by other types 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 multiple sections on a lattice boom are able to be added so that the crane can reach up and over an obstacle. Conventional truck cranes require separate power to be able to move down and up and do not lower and raise their loads utilizing any hydraulic power.
Manitowoc built the very first ever Speedcrane. It proved to be a successful machine 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 means and designed his crane to change with the times. The Speedcrane was redesigned for a gasoline engine.