Hydraulic truck cranes are a particular kind of mobile crane. These cranes utilize hydraulics and can lift thousands of pounds. Hydraulics makes use of forces being transmitted through oil pushing in opposite directions on the pistons of the boom in order to lift thousands of pounds. Hydraulic truck cranes are essential in building major projects like airports, bridges, buildings and streets. A crane could complete in minutes jobs that will normally take many hours and hundreds of men to complete.
These remarkable equipments have played a very important role in constructing cities, houses, entire nations and individual buildings throughout the ages. Even Egypt's Great Pyramids were probably built with the help of basic cranes to allow the heaviest supplies in one of the most awesome construction projects ever.
The very first representation of a crane was showcased during King Ramses' reign within Egypt during 3000 B.C. This was a portrayal of a lifting device that was used to collect water. The very first official "cranes" appeared in Ancient Greece. These devices were used 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These cranes were originally made out of wood.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 began to require stronger and larger machinery. Hick & Rothwell developed the very first cast iron cranes during 1834, within Bolton, England. This equipment could lift up to 2 tons. That 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 stronger and more durable. This addition allowed cranes to have a larger capacity for lifting heavy weights.
The wire ropes were weaved together forming a more powerful rope with even more strength. The newly formed wire also added more flexibility. 4 years later, Germany started to build cast iron cranes. The first cast iron crane built by Germany was made within Neuburg.