The hydraulic truck crane is a specialized mobile crane that uses hydraulic power to lift and move thousands of pounds. Hydraulics utilizes forces being transmitted through oil pushing in opposite directions on the boom's pistons in order to lift thousands of pounds. Hydraulic truck cranes are important in building major projects like for example bridges, airports, buildings and roads. A crane can complete in minutes tasks that would normally take many hours and hundreds of men to accomplish.
These remarkable machinery have played a very important part in building cities, houses, entire nations and individual buildings throughout the ages. Even the Great Pyramids in Egypt were likely constructed with the help of basic cranes to allow the heaviest supplies in one of the most remarkable construction projects ever.
The very first cranes were established during 3000 B.C. Egypt during King Ramses' reign. This lifting mechanism was initially utilized to collect water. The first official "cranes" appeared in Ancient Greece. These devices were used to create an entire nation throughout the 5th century B.C.
Initially, cranes were first made out of wood. It wasn't until the designers building dockyards decided they needed something stronger and larger did these machines evolve. Hick & Rothwell designed the first cast iron cranes in Bolton, England, during the year 1834. This equipment can lift as much as 2 tons. That same year, wire ropes were 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 enabled cranes to have a larger capacity to lift heavy weights.
Ultimately, the wire ropes were weaved together to be able to form an even more powerful strength. This wire formation also brought the added benefit of flexibility. 4 years later, Germany started to build cast iron cranes. The very first cast iron crane made by Germany was made within Neuburg.