The hydraulic truck crane is a specialized mobile crane which utilizes hydraulic power to raise and transport thousands of pounds. Hydraulics uses forces being transmitted through oil pushing on the boom's pistons in opposite directions in order to lift thousands of pounds. Hydraulic truck cranes are vital in constructing major projects like for instance bridges, airports, streets and buildings. A crane can complete in minutes tasks which will normally take hundreds of men and a lot of hours to complete.
These impressive machines have played a very important role in building cities, houses, entire nations and individual buildings throughout the ages. Even the Great Pyramids in Egypt were likely built using basic cranes to allow the heaviest supplies in one of the most remarkable construction projects of all time.
The very first representation of a crane was featured during the reign of King Ramses within Egypt in 3000 B.C. This was a portrayal of a lifting device which was utilized to collect water. The first official "cranes" appeared during Ancient Greece. These mechanism were utilized to build an entire country in the 5th century B.C.
These cranes were originally made out of wood. The designs of cranes began to change when dockyards started to require stronger and bigger machinery. Hick & Rothwell designed the very first cast iron cranes in Bolton, England, during 1834. This machinery can lift up to 2 tons. That same year, the addition of wire rope was added to the crane by Herr Albert Sr. who was an Official of the German Superior Board. The wire rope made the crane stronger and more durable. This addition allowed cranes to have a bigger capacity to lift heavy weights.
Ultimately, the wire ropes were weaved together in order to form an even more powerful strength. This wire formation also brought the added advantage of flexibility. Germany began to make cast iron cranes 4 years later. The first cast iron crane built by Germany was made in Neuburg.