Hydraulic truck cranes are a specialized kind of mobile crane. These cranes use hydraulics and are able to lift thousands of pounds. Hydraulics uses forces being transmitted through oil pushing on the pistons of the boom in opposite directions so as to lift thousands of pounds. Hydraulic truck cranes are important in constructing major projects such as airports, bridges, buildings and streets. A crane can complete in minutes jobs that would normally take many hours and hundreds of men to accomplish.
These remarkable machines have played a vital part in constructing cities, houses, individual buildings and entire nations throughout the ages. Even Egypt's Great Pyramids were likely built with the help of basic cranes to enable the heaviest materials in one of the most awesome construction projects ever.
The first cranes were established during 3000 B.C. Egypt during the reign of King Ramses. This lifting device was first used to collect water. The very first official "cranes" appeared in Ancient Greece. These devices were utilized to build an entire country throughout the 5th century B.C.
These cranes were initially made out of wood. The designs of cranes began to change when dockyards started to require stronger and bigger machines. Hick & Rothwell designed the very first cast iron cranes in 1834, within Bolton, England. This equipment was capable of lifting as much as 2 tons. That very 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 larger capacity to lift 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 very first cast iron crane built by Germany was built in Neuburg.