Early Crane Evolution
Over 4000 years ago, early Egyptians made the very first recorded kind of a crane. The original device was referred to as a shaduf and was initially used to transport water. The crane was made out of a pivoting long beam that balanced on a vertical support. On one end a heavy weight was attached and on the other end of the beam, a bucket was attached.
In the first century, cranes were built to be powered by humans or animals that were moving on a wheel or a treadmill. These cranes had a long wooden boom called 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 also had a hook which was attached to a pulley at the top of the boom and lifted the weight.
Cranes were utilized extensively in the Middle Ages to make the enormous cathedrals in Europe. These devices were also used to load and unload ships in main ports. Over time, major advancements in crane design evolved. For example, 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 machine. Following the 16th century, each side of a rotating housing that held the boom incorporated two treadmills.
Cranes utilized animals and humans for power until the mid-19th century. This all changes rapidly once steam engines were developed. At the turn of the century, IC or internal combustion engines and electric motors emerged. Cranes also became designed out of steel and cast iron as opposed to wood. The new designs proved more efficient and longer lasting. They can obviously run longer as well with their new power sources and therefore finish bigger tasks in less time.