Cranes

An overhead crane, commonly called a bridge crane, is a type of crane found in
industrial environments. An overhead crane consists of parallel runways with a

traveling bridge spanning the gap. A hoist, the lifting component of a crane, travels
along the bridge. If the bridge is rigidly supported on two or more legs running on a
fixed rail at ground level, the crane is called a gantry crane (USA, ASME B30 series) or
a goliath crane (UK, BS 466).
Unlike mobile or construction cranes, overhead cranes are typically used for either
manufacturing or maintenance applications, where efficiency or downtime are critical
factors.
Contents
[hide]
1 Applications
2 Configurations
o 2.1 EOT (Electric Overhead Traveling) Crane
o 2.2 Rotary overhead crane
3 History
o 3.1 Early manufacture
4 Gallery
5 See also
6 References
7 Standards
8 External links
Applications[edit]
Overhead cranes are commonly used in the refinement of steel and other metals such as
copper and aluminium. At every step of the manufacturing process, until it leaves a
factory as a finished product, metal is handled by an overhead crane. Raw materials are
poured into a furnace by crane, hot metal is then rolled to specific thickness and
tempered or annealed, and then stored by an overhead crane for cooling, the finished
coils are lifted and loaded onto trucks and trains by overhead crane, and the fabricator or
stamper uses an overhead crane to handle the steel in his factory. The automobile
industry uses overhead cranes to handle raw materials. Smaller workstation cranes, such
as jib cranes or gantry cranes, handle lighter loads in a work area, such as CNC mill or
saw.
Almost all paper mills use bridge cranes for regular maintenance needing removal of
heavy press rolls and other equipment. The bridge cranes are used in the initial
construction of paper machines because they make it easier to install the heavy cast iron
paper drying drums and other massive equipment, some weighing as much as 70 tons.
In many instances the cost of a bridge crane can be largely offset with savings from not
renting mobile cranes in the construction of a facility that uses a lot of heavy process
equipment.
Configurations[edit]
While sharing major components, overhead cranes are manufactured in a number of
configurations based on applications.
EOT (Electric Overhead Traveling) Crane[edit]
This is most common type of overhead crane, found in most factories. As obvious from
name, these cranes are electrically operated by a control pendant, radio/IR remote
pendant or from an operator cabin attached with the crane itself.
Rotary overhead crane[edit]
This type of overhead crane has one end of the bridge mounted on a fixed pivot and the
other end carried on an annular track; the bridge traverses the circular area beneath. This
offers improvement over a jib crane by making possible a longer reach and eliminating
lateral strains on the building walls.
[1]

History[edit]
Demag Cranes & Components Corp. was one of the first companies in the world to
mass-produce the first steam-powered crane.
[2]
In 1876 Sampson Moore in England
designed and supplied the first ever electric overhead crane, which was used to hoist
guns at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, London.
[3]
Since that time Alliance Machine,
now defunct, holds an AISE citation for one of the earliest cranes in the USA market.
This crane was in service until approximately 1980, and is now in a museum in
Birmingham, Alabama. Over the years important innovations, such as the Weston load
brake (which is now rare) and the wire rope hoist (which is still popular), have come
and gone. The original hoist contained components mated together in what is now
called the built-up style hoist. These built up hoists are used for heavy-duty applications
such as steel coil handling and for users desiring long life and better durability. They
also provide for easier maintenance. Now many hoists are package hoists, built as one
unit in a single housing, generally designed for ten-year life, but the life calculation is
based on an industry standard when calculating actual life. See the Hoists
Manufacturers Institute site
[4]
for true life calculation witch is based on load and hours
used. In today's modern world for the North American market there are a few governing
bodies for the industry. The Overhead Alliance is a group that represents Crane
Manufacturers Association of America (CMAA), Hoist Manufacturers Institute (HMI),
and Monorail Manufacturers Association (MMA). These product counsels of the
Material Handling Industry of America have joined forces to create promotional
materials to raise the awareness of the benefits to overhead lifting. The members of this
group are marketing representatives of the member companies.
Early manufacture[edit]
1830: First Crane company in Germany Ludwig Stuckenholz company now
Demag Cranes & Components GmbH.
[2]

1840: Mass production of overhead cranes starts in Germany
1854: Sampson Moore & Co in Liverpool England patented a new winch
mechanism that allowed the lifting of heavier weights (such as naval guns) by an
electric motor.
[5]

1861: First steam powered overhead crane, installed by John Ramsbottom at the
Crewe Railway workshops. Power was transmitted to the crane from a pulley
driven by a stationary engine through an endless cotton rope.
[2]

1887: Ludwig Stuckenholz company introduces electrical components to
overhead cranes determining industry design.
1910: The first Mass production Electric motor hoist started being produced in
Germany.

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An overhead crane, commonly called a bridge crane, is a type of crane found in

industrial environments. An overhead crane consists of parallel runways with a

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