Early Crane Evolution
More than 4000 years ago, early Egyptians created the first recorded type of a crane. The original apparatus was referred to as a shaduf and was initially used to transport water. The crane was made out of a long pivoting beam that balanced on a vertical support. On one end a bucket was connected and on the other end of the beam, a heavy weight was attached.
In the first century, cranes were built to be powered by animals or humans that were moving on a treadmill or a wheel. These cranes had a wooden long boom known as a beam. The boom was connected to a rotating base. The treadmill or the wheel was a power-driven operation that had a drum with a rope that wrapped around it. This rope additionally had a hook which was attached to a pulley at the top of the boom and lifted the weight.
Within Europe, the enormous cathedrals established during the Middle Ages were build using cranes. Cranes were also designed to unload and load ships in major ports. Eventually, major advancements in crane design evolved. Like for instance, a horizontal boom was added to and became known as the jib. This boom addition enabled cranes to have the ability to pivot, thus greatly increasing the range of motion for the machinery. Following the 16th century, cranes had incorporated two treadmills on each side of a rotating housing that held the boom.
Cranes used animals and humans for power until the mid-19th century. This all changes quickly when steam engines were developed. At the turn of the century, Internal combustion or IC engines and electric motors emerged. Moreover, cranes became designed out of cast iron and steel as opposed to wood. The new designs proved more efficient and longer lasting. They can obviously run longer also with their new power sources and hence finish bigger jobs in less time.