Before cranes were invented, the primary means of vertical load motion was the use of ramps. Then, in the late 6th century BC, the Ancient Greeks introduced the winch and pulley hoist. The new lifting technique meant that instead of a few large stones being used, several smaller ones were more practical. This switch from the ramp to crane technology was favored by the Greeks because Continue reading
Bridge Cranes: A Trolley Trip
Bridge Crane image courtesy of Otsego Crane & Hoist Company.
I don’t know about you, but taking a trip on a trolley sounds pretty good to me. I envision a relaxing tour of something I’ve never seen in a different city or surrounded by nature. In this day and age, it seems almost whimsical to take a ride on a tram, cable car or streetcar Continue reading
Choo-Choo Trains and Track Cranes
Track cranes can be considered synonymous with bridge cranes. However, let us make a distinction for the following; let’s call bridge cranes any crane on a track overhead, and let’s focus on stacker cranes that move on tracks in the aisles of Continue reading
Jib Cranes Have Arms
You can turn yourself into a jib crane, just stand up and hold one of your arms straight out from your shoulder, making a right angle to your body. Now, Continue reading
Workstation Cranes Do Heavy Lifting
Workstation cranes can move loads that weigh between 150 and 4,000 pounds, utilized in factories, warehouses and machine shops to complete industrial processes. Workers could never manufacture, assemble, and install heavy duty industrial equipment, or manufacture steel without the use of cranes. And, smaller workstation cranes handle Continue reading
The Mechanics of Hoist Cranes
To hoist is to raise or lift, especially by some mechanical process, as in to raise a flag or hoist the mainsail. So, any apparatus used for this action could be referred to, in general, as a hoist. Different kinds of equipment used for hoisting include Continue reading