Basic Types and Configurations

The evolution of the mobile crane has led to many types and designs to satisfy both the general
as well as the specific needs of construction and industrial operations. This manual is concerned
with mobile cranes used for construction purposes as well as industrial applications.

The basic operational characteristics of all mobile cranes are essentially the same. They include:

• Adjustable boom lengths

• Adjustable boom angles
• Ability to lift and lower loads
• Ability to swing loads
• Ability to travel about the job site under their own power.

Within the broad category of mobile cranes there have evolved the following basic types and
configurations:

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Industrial Cranes

These cranes are primarily intended for operation

in industrial locations where working surfaces are
significantly better than those found on most
construction sites.

Although these cranes will not be analyzed

specifically, their characteristics are basically
Telescopic Boom Sections
identical to those of telescopic boom mobiles,
which are covered in detail.

Base (Heel) Section

Boom
Elevating or Partial or 360° Swing
Lift Cylinders

Outrigger Rear Steer or Front

Equipped and Rear Steer

Telescopic Boom PICK AND CARRY

Sections

Telescopic Boom Sections

These cranes have

low centres of
gravity to permit
operation in narrow
Base (Heel) Section aisles or runways
without riggings. Base (Heel) Section

Fixed Boom
Partial or 360° Swing

Carry Deck
Carry Deck

Rear Steer or Front

Outrigger Rear Steer or Front and Rear Steer
Equipped and Rear Steer

CARRY DECK – ROTATING BOOM CARRY DECK – FIXED BOOM

109
Carrier-Mounted Lattice Boom Cranes

This “truck type” carrier must not be

confused with the ordinary commercial
truck chassis. It is specially designed for
crane service and the heavy loads these
cranes are required to withstand.

Carrier-mounted cranes are also

commonly referred to as “Truck Cranes”,
“Conventional Cranes”, “Friction Cranes”,
Boom Head or Tip Sheaves
“Mobile Cranes”, etc.
Auxiliary or
Whip Line
Boom Head or Tip Section
Headache Ball
or Overhaul Ball

Main Hoist Line or Deflector (Idler) Sheaves

Main Falls

Load Block or
Main Hook
Block

Auxiliary Hoist Line

The upperworks (superstructure)

Main Hoist Line of the crane refers to the crane

structure that lies above the

swing circle. It does not include

the carrier.

Lattice Boom Inserts

or Sections Boom Pendants (Stays)

Bridle
Live Mast

Boom Hoist Reeving

Boom Stops or Backstops
Heel, Base, Butt or Boom Foot Section
Counterweight
Swing Circle, Ring Gear, Roller Path or Turntable Carrier

Center Pin, Center of Rotation, Axis of Rotation

Mid-Point (Intermediate) Suspension

Necessary when raising very
long booms off the ground.
They prevent the boom from
sagging excessively. Jib Mast, Strut or Gantry
Jib Backstay Pendants
Bail Boom Pendants
Equalizer or Bridle Jib Forestay Pendants

Jib

Backhitch Gantry

Auxiliary, Jib or Whip Line

110
Carrier-Mounted Lattice Boom Cranes (continued)

Bridle

Live Mast

Boom Hoist Reeving

Boom Stops

Machine Deck (houses hoist machinery)

The entire rotating structure of

the crane above the swing

circle is called the upperworks,

Boom Foot Pins upper, superstructure or

& Lugs revolving superstructure.

Outrigger
Cylinder Boom Pendants
(Jack, Ram)

Equalizer,
Bridle, Outer Bail, or
Outrigger Pad, Floating Harness
Front Bumper Outrigger Float, Pontoon
Counterweight Beam

Inner Bail, Bridle

or Harness

Gantry or “A” Frame

Backhitch

Lattice Members

Outrigger Jack

Lattices or
Lacings
Main Chord Outrigger Box
Diagonal
The square frame at Pin Connection Lug
each end of a boom
insert is commonly
referred to as the
picture frame.

111
Crawler-Mounted Lattice Boom Cranes

Except for their base and method of load

rating, the upperworks of these machines
are identical to the carrier-mounted units.

Jib Tip Sheave

Jib or Whip Line

Jib Hook & Headache

Ball or Overhaul Ball
Jib Forestay Pendant or Forestay
Jib Tip Section

Jiib Mid Section

Jib Mast (Gantry)
Deflector (Idler) Sheave Jib Heel Section

Boom Tip Sheaves (Head Sheaves)

Jib Backstay Pendant or Backstay

Main Hoist Line

Boom Pendants

Main Block or Main Hook

Equalizer or Outer Bail

Boom Hoist Reeving

Inner Bail

Backhitch
Upperworks or superstructure
Gantry refers to the entire crane
structure above the
swing circle.
Boom Hoist Rope

Counterweight Ring Gear, Turntable, Swing Circle

Machine Deck

Illustration shows a unit

with traction shaft and
chain drive but hydrostatic
track drive systems are
also available.

Carbody, Truck Frame Lower Frame, Axle Track Carrier Roller

Track Shoe
Ring Gear
Drive Chain

Idler Roller

Tread Sprocket
Track Rollers, Traction Shaft Side Frame or Drive Sprocket
Support Rollers

112
Carrier-Mounted Telescopic Boom Cranes

These machines are also mounted on specially

designed carriers. They can be equipped with
a variety of jibs and boom extensions which
can be stowed on or under the heel section
of the main boom.

Main Boom Tip (Head)

#3 Power Telescoping
Section or Planed Section

Main Hoist Line

“A” Frame Jib

Jib Forestay Pendant

#2 Power Telescoping Section

Jib Mast or Gantry

Whip Line or Main Hook or Hook Block
Jib Line or
Boom Extension Tip
Auxiliary
or Head Sheave
Hoist Line
Jib Backstay Pendant
#1 Power Telescoping Section
Jib Hook &
Headache Ball
Removable Boom Extension

Main Boom Tip Sheave Main Boom Tip

Jib Line (Whip Line)

Main Hoist Lines
Heel, Base, or
Foot Section
Main Hoist Line
Main Hoist
Main Hook or Hook Block
Boom Hoist or Lift Cylinders Auxiliary Hoist
Counterweight
Upperworks
Carrier

Center Pin, Center of Rotation, Axis of Rotation Boom Foot Pins, Hinge Pins
Telescopic Jib

Boom Extension Tip Sheave

“A” Frame Jib

Jib Pendant
Boom Extension
Auxiliary or Whip Line

Deflection Sheave
Auxiliary Hook &
Headache Ball

113
Carrier-Mounted Telescopic Boom Cranes (continued)

Luffing jib can be raised or lowered independently

of the boom. In this case the crane’s auxiliary
winch is used as the jib hoist.

Jib Tip Section

Lattice Jib

Jib Heel or Base Section

Jib Forestay Pendant

Jib Mast or Gantry

Jib Backstay Pendant

114
Carrier-Mounted Telescopic Boom Cranes (continued)

Carrier-mounted telescopic boom cranes are

subdivided by the type of head section (boom
tip section) they are equipped with.

On full power
hydraulic booms
the end section
(tip or fly) extends
through its full
range as the
whole boom
extends.
FULL POWER BOOMS

PINNED BOOMS

…or fully extended

at all times. Its
length cannot be
On “pinned booms”, varied with the
the end (tip or fly) total boom length.
section is either fully
retracted at all times
(regardless of main
boom length)…

These sections
extend and retract
under power through
their full range.

115
Crawler-Mounted Telescopic Boom Cranes

The upperworks of these cranes are identical

to the carrier-mounted telescopic boom units.
Their bases and the method used to load rate
them differ, however.

Auxiliary Hoist Line

Boom Extension

Main Hoist Line Main Boom

Main Hoist
Auxiliary Hoist

Counterweight

Side Frame

Telescoping Boom Sections Crawler Tracks Carbody, Truck Frame

Base, Heel, or Foot Section

Swing Circle

Center Pin, Center of Rotation, Axis of Rotation

116
Rough Terrain Cranes

The rough terrain crane’s oversized tires

facilitate movement across the rough terrain
of construction sites and other broken ground.
Their short wheel base and crab-steering
improve maneuverability. In “pick and carry”
operations on rough terrain, however, they are
still subject to the same operating restrictions
that apply to other cranes.

Like carrier-mounted telescopic boom cranes,

rough terrain units are available with either full
power booms or pinned booms and the same
types of jibs and boom extensions. There are
two basic configurations.

FIXED CAB

Counterweight

Swing Circle
Operator’s Cab (Fixed)

Outrigger Beam

Outrigger Pads, Floats, Pontoons Outrigger Frame

117
Rough Terrain Cranes (continued)

ROTATING CAB

Boom Extension in
Stowed Position
Main Winch
Boom Hoist or Lify Cylinders
Auxiliary Winch

Counterweight
Operator’s Cab Rotates with Upperworks

Engine “On Carrier”

Outrigger Box
Pads, Floats, Pontoons Outrigger Beam

“A” Frame Jib in

Stowed Position

Operator’s Cab Rotates

with Upperworks

Engine

Cantilever Type
Outriggers

118
Rough Terrain Cranes (continued)

Like the carrier-mounted telescopic boom

cranes, rough terrain cranes can be equipped
with either full power booms or pinned booms
as well as with a variety of jibs and boom
extensions which can also be stowed on or
under the heel section of the main boom.

Boom Extension
in Stowed
Position

Boom Extension &

“A” Frame Jib in
Stowed Position

Boom Extension Mounted

“A” Frame Jib in Stowed Position

119
Heavy Lift Mobile Cranes

These cranes combine the best features of

derricks and lattice boom mobile cranes.
Typically they use very large extended
counterweights, masts and often roller rings
that move the boom’s fulcrum and the crane’s
tipping axis further away from the center of gravity.

Pendants Equalizer or
Bridle
Boom Hoist Reeving

Mast

Boom Pendants Counterweight

Pendants

Equalizer or Bridle

Boom Hoist
Reeving

Mast Counterweight

Counterweight
Pendants

Boom

Counterweight

Counterweight Roller Ring & Supports

Beam Carrier

120
Tower Cranes

Stewing ring

Fixed (non-stewing) tower

FIXED TOWER

FIXED TOWER

121