Usually the base which is bolted into a big concrete pad provides the crucial support for a tower crane. The base is attached to a tower or a mast and stabilizes the crane which is attached to the inside of the structure of the building. Usually, this attachment point is to an elevator shaft or to a concrete lift.
The mast of the crane is usually a triangulated lattice structure which measures 0.9m2 or 10 feet square. Connected to the very top of the mast is the slewing unit. The slewing unit is made of a motor and a gear that allows the crane to rotate.
Tower cranes are able to have a maximum unsupported height of 80m or 265 feet. The maximum lifting capacity of a tower crane is 16,642 kg or 39,690 pounds with counter weights of 20 tons. Additionally, two limit switches are utilized to be able to make sure that the operator does not overload the crane. There is also one more safety feature called a load moment switch to make certain that the driver does not surpass the ton meter load rating. Last of all, the maximum reach of a tower crane is 230 feet or 70 meters.
Due to their extreme heights, there is a science involved to erecting a crane. The stationary structure would first have to be transported to the construction site by utilizing a large tractor-trailer rig setup. After that, a mobile crane is utilized so as to assemble the equipment part of the jib and the crane. These parts are then connected to the mast. The mobile crane then adds counterweights. Crawler cranes and forklifts may be a few of the other industrial machinery that is used to erect a crane.
Mast extensions are added to the crane as the building is erected. This is how the height of the crane is able to match the building's height. The crane crew utilizes what is referred to as a top climber or a climbing frame which fits between the top of the mast and the slewing unit. A weight is hung on the jib by the work crew so as to balance the counterweight. When complete, the slewing unit could detach from the top of the mast. In the top climber, hydraulic rams are utilized to adjust the slewing unit up an additional 20 feet or 6.1m. After that, the driver of the crane uses the crane to insert and bolt into position another mast section piece.