The hydraulic truck crane is a specialized mobile crane that utilizes hydraulic power to lift and transport thousands of pounds. Hydraulics utilizes forces being transmitted through oil pushing on the boom's pistons in opposite directions so as to lift thousands of pounds. Hydraulic truck cranes are important in constructing major projects such as airports, bridges, roadways and buildings. A crane can complete in minutes jobs that will normally take many hours and hundreds of men to complete.
These impressive machinery have played a vital part in constructing houses, cities, individual buildings and entire nations throughout the ages. Even Egypt's Great Pyramids were probably constructed with the help of basic cranes to enable the heaviest materials in one of the most awesome construction projects ever.
The first representation of a crane was featured during the reign of King Ramses within Egypt during 3000 B.C. This was a portrayal of a lifting device that was used to collect water. The first official "cranes" appeared in Ancient Greece. These devices were utilized to create an entire nation throughout the 5th century B.C.
Originally, cranes were first made out of wood. It wasn't until the designers building dockyards decided they required something stronger and bigger did these machines develop. Hick & Rothwell designed the very first cast iron cranes in 1834, in Bolton, England. This machinery was capable of lifting as much as 2 tons. That very same year, wire ropes were added to the crane by an Official of the German Superior Board, Herr Albert Sr. The wire rope made the crane more durable and stronger. 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 made by Germany was made within Neuburg.