Industrial development leads to the invention of various machines. All of them were invented to make human work easier and quicker. One such machine is a crane and its work was to lift heavy things to a height. I wonder how they figured out how cranes work. You will learn about it as you continue reading the article along with how tower cranes work, how does a hydraulic crane work, and how do construction cranes work.
1. What is a Crane?
This is a machine that is equipped with ropes, chains, sheaves, or wire ropes. They got the name because they resemble a long-necked bird, a crane. The main purpose of cranes is to lift heavy weights. To know how cranes work, read the article till the end. (See What is a Flight of Stairs?)
2. Which Mechanical Principles are applicable?
Overall, three major mechanical principles are considered important in terms of cranes. (See 8 Fuel Types For Cars)
- They should be able to lift the load.
- The cranes must not topple.
- They should not rupture.
3. What are the Different Parts of a Crane?
Cranes have different parts that play an important role in their work and they are,
- Counterweights,
- Boom,
- Wheels and tracks,
- Outriggers, jib, hoist, hook, and
- Wire rope and sheaves
These are the 8 essential parts of cranes. Let me tell you in detail about their work discussed below. (See What is the Standard Door Size?)
4. How is a Counterweight useful?
Cranes are used to lifting heavy weights, so they have to maintain a strong base to avoid tipping off. These weights work towards the back of the cranes, always in the opposite direction in which the weight is being lifted. Once the work is done, the counterweights are removed to make the transport easier. (See What Does 3D Mean?)
5. How Cranes work with a Boom?
Depending on the size of the cranes, a boom is mostly the largest part of the crane. It is like an arm that holds and lifts the weight. Booms are basically of two types.
- Hydraulic booms can reach a great distance. It has telescoping sections that enable it to easily expand and contract depending on the needs.
- A lattice boom is made up of welded steel which gives it the required strength and reduces the boom weight along with it. (See What Is the Average Garage Door Size?)
6. What is the use of Wheels and Tracks?
How cranes work and manage the use of wheels and tracks? Wheels are an essential part of the crane that enables it to move from one place to another, either with the lifted weight or otherwise. Wheels help in moving on an uneven and bumpy path.
Tracks are the substitute for wheels and provide good stability for cranes in comparison to the wheels. Their movement is slower than the wheel cranes, but their safety and stability make them the first choice of engineers. (See What is the Most Popular Muscle Car?)
7. What are Outriggers?
These are like legs that are attached to a wheeled vehicle and work as extra support and maintain balance. Outriggers extend from the bottom of the cranes and lift the crane off the ground. It is done to reduce even a slight movement of the wheels during the work. (See How to Change Transmission Fluid and Filter?)
8. What is a Jib?
A jib is like a horizontal hand of the crane. It is used when the area to be reached is far from the boom reach. It maintains a distance between the load and the crane. The jib is useful when the load needs to be kept away from the crane. There are two types of jibs, regular and luffer. The former is usually fixed with a crane while the latter is a hinged jib that can be moved up or down. (See How does a Thermos Work?)
9. What is the use of a Hoist?
This is the part of the crane that makes the lifts possible by using the cranking mechanism and a wire rope. It is an essential part of the crane and is also known as the crane’s hoist or a hoist drum. The main feature of a hoist is that it can hold a thousand feet of rope, which makes it possible to lift heavy materials to great heights and distances. (See All Battery Sizes with Pictures)
10. What is the use of a Hook?
It is the main point or part that connects the crane with the load. Hooks are strong and durable pieces of metal enabling a strong grip to make sure the crane can do the rest of the work. (See How to Remove Small Stripped Screws?)
11. How does Wire Rope and Sheaves work?
Heavy-duty wire ropes are used by the cranes to safely handle the loads in transit. These wire ropes can be twisted together, enabling a longer rope if required.
Sheaves are like a pulley system holding the ropes connecting the rest of the crane. A crane may have more than one wire rope, which makes it easier to distribute the load and makes the work easier. (See What is a Rube Goldberg Machine?)
12. What is a Tower Crane?
A tower crane is a type of crane that has the same parts as a regular crane. These cranes are fixed on the construction ground enabling them to raise hundreds of feet to do the work at greater heights. The main parts of a tower crane are, the tower, base support, turntable, operators’ cabin, jib, hook block, trolley, counter jib, and a counterweight. (See Do Water Towers Hold Water?)
13. How Tower Cranes work?
How cranes work is similar to that of tower cranes? Yes, the working of tower cranes is somewhat similar to regular cranes. It also works on leverage and balance. The counter jib and jib are like the first lever balancing the lifted loads. (See How Do Roller Coasters Work?)
14. What is a Hydraulic Crane?
These cranes are among the heavy-duty cranes that work on the internal hydraulic system for lifting heavy loads. They are mostly wheeled to enable them to have good mobility on the worksite. The essential parts of hydraulic cranes are counterweights, jib, pulley, Rotex gear, load movement indicator, two-gear pump, and steel cable. (See Features and Types of Bale)
15. How does a Hydraulic Crane work?
The operator performs the lifts using a fixed system of pipes. This pipe system helps in maintaining constant pressure. These cranes use pressurized liquids (mostly oil) to generate all the power needed to lift the weight. (See How Does a Digital Camera Work?)
16. How do Construction Cranes work through the Operator?
The operator sits in the operating cab and handles the crane through a system of levers and hand signals. The various responsibilities that need to be followed by an operator are given below. Go through the points to get an idea of how cranes work.
- For a safe lift, the operator communicates with hand signals and radios.
- Computer safety systems should be monitored to know the wind speed and weight capacity limits.
- To handle various parts like swings, hoists, and trolleys, he uses joysticks. (See What is a Chuckwagon?)
Now, you know about how cranes work, how tower cranes work, how does a hydraulic crane work, and how do construction cranes work. Learning something new is great and it is greater if you share this knowledge with your friends. (See Who Invented the Sticky Note?)
