Hydraulic truck cranes are a particular type of mobile crane. These cranes make use of hydraulics and can lift 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 essential in building major projects like airports, bridges, buildings and roadways. A crane can complete in minutes jobs that will normally take hundreds of men and many hours to complete.
The vast equipments are usually utilized in the construction of cities, houses, entire nations and individual buildings throughout the ages. Even the Great Pyramids in Egypt were likely constructed using basic cranes to allow the heaviest materials in one of the most amazing construction projects of all time.
The first representation of a crane was featured during King Ramses' reign in Egypt in 3000 B.C. This was a portrayal of a lifting mechanism which was used to collect water. The first official "cranes" appeared in Ancient Greece. These devices were used to build a whole nation throughout the 5th century B.C.
These cranes were initially made out of wood. The designs of cranes started to change when dockyards began to require stronger and larger machines. Hick & Rothwell developed the first cast iron cranes in Bolton, England, in the year 1834. This machine was capable of lifting as much as 2 tons. That 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 larger 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 began to make cast iron cranes 4 years later. The very first cast iron crane made by Germany was built within Neuburg.