Early Crane Evolution
More than 4000 years ago, early Egyptians made the first recorded type of a crane. The original device was referred to as a shaduf and was first utilized to transport water. The crane was made out of a pivoting long beam which 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.
Cranes which were built in the first century were powered by animals or by humans that were moving on a wheel or a treadmill. The crane consisted of a wooden long beam that was referred to as a boom. The boom was attached to a base that rotates. The treadmill or the wheel was a power-driven operation that had a drum with a rope which 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.
In Europe, the enormous cathedrals established during the Middle Ages were build using cranes. Cranes were also designed to load and unload ships within major ports. Over time, major developments in crane design evolved. For instance, a horizontal boom was added to and was referred to as the jib. This boom addition enabled cranes to have the ability to pivot, therefore greatly increasing the equipment's range of motion. Following the 16th century, cranes had incorporated two treadmills on each side of a rotating housing which held the boom.
Even until the mid-19th century, cranes continued to rely on animals and humans for power. Once steam engines were developed, this all rapidly changed. At the turn of the century, Internal combustion or IC engines and electric motors emerged. Cranes also became designed out of cast iron and steel as opposed to wood. The new designs proved more efficient and longer lasting. They could obviously run longer as well with their new power sources and hence finish larger jobs in less time.