The tower crane's base is typically bolted to a large concrete pad that provides really necessary support. The base is attached to a tower or a mast and stabilizes the crane which is attached to the inside of the building's structure. Often, this attachment point is to an elevator shaft or to a concrete lift.
Generally, the mast is a triangulated lattice structure measuring 0.9m2 or 10 feet square. The slewing unit is attached to the very top of the mast. The slewing unit consists of a motor and a gear that allows the crane to rotate.
Tower cranes may have a max unsupported height of 80m or 265 feet, while the minimum 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 used in order to make certain that the operator does not overload the crane. There is also one more safety feature known as a load moment switch to make certain that the driver does not exceed 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 at first have to be transported to the construction site by using a large tractor-trailer rig setup. After that, a mobile crane is utilized so as to assemble the equipment part of the crane and the jib. After that, these parts are attached to the mast. The mobile crane next adds counterweights. Forklifts and crawler cranes could be some of the other industrial machinery which is used to erect a crane.
When the building is erected, mast extensions are added to the crane. This is how the crane's height can 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 slewing unit and the top of the mast. A weight is hung on the jib by the work crew so as to balance the counterweight. Once complete, the slewing unit can detach from the top of the mast. In the top climber, hydraulic rams are utilized to adjust the slewing unit up an extra 6.1m or 20 feet. After that, the driver of the crane uses the crane to insert and bolt into place one more mast section piece.