Early Crane Evolution
Over 4000 years ago, early Egyptians created the first recorded version 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 bucket was connected and on the other end of the beam, a heavy weight was attached.
Cranes that were made during the first century were powered by animals or by humans that were moving on a treadmill or a wheel. The crane consisted of a wooden long beam which was referred to as a boom. The boom was attached to a base that rotates. The wheel or the treadmill was a power-driven operation which had a drum with a rope that wrapped around it. This rope additionally had a hook that lifted the weight and was connected to a pulley at the top of the boom.
Cranes were utilized extensively in the Middle Ages to build the huge cathedrals in Europe. These devices were also utilized to load and unload ships in major ports. Over time, significant crane design developments evolved. For example, a horizontal boom was added to and became known as the jib. This boom addition allowed cranes to have the ability to pivot, hence really increasing the equipment's range of motion. After 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. When steam engines were developed, this all quickly changed. At the turn of the century, IC or internal combustion engines as well as electric motors emerged. What's more, cranes 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 thus carry out bigger tasks in less time.