The hydraulic truck crane is a specific mobile crane which utilizes hydraulic power to raise and move thousands of pounds. Hydraulics uses forces being transmitted through oil pushing on the boom's pistons in opposite directions in order to lift thousands of pounds. Hydraulic truck cranes are very essential in constructing major projects such as bridges, airports, buildings and streets. A crane can complete in minutes tasks that will normally take lots of hours and hundreds of men to complete.
These impressive equipments have played a very important role in constructing cities, houses, individual buildings and entire nations throughout the ages. Even the Great Pyramids in Egypt were likely built using basic cranes to enable the heaviest supplies in one of the most remarkable construction projects ever.
The first representation of a crane was showcased during the reign of King Ramses in Egypt during 3000 B.C. This was a portrayal of a lifting device that was utilized to collect water. The first official "cranes" appeared in Ancient Greece. These mechanism were used to build a whole country during the 5th century B.C.
These cranes were originally made out of wood. The designs of cranes started to change when dockyards began to need stronger and bigger machines. Hick & Rothwell designed the first cast iron cranes in Bolton, England, in the year 1834. This machine could lift as much as 2 tons. That very same year, the addition of wire rope was added to the crane by an Official of the German Superior Board, Herr Albert Sr. The wire rope made the crane more durable and stronger. This addition enabled cranes to have a bigger 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. Germany started to build cast iron cranes 4 years later. The first cast iron crane built by Germany was built in Neuburg.