Early Crane Evolution
More than 4000 years ago, early Egyptians created the first recorded type of a crane. The original apparatus was called a shaduf and was first used to transport water. The crane was made out of a long pivoting beam that balanced on a vertical support. On one end a heavy weight was connected and on the other end of the beam, a bucket was connected.
During the first century, cranes were made to be powered by animals or humans that were moving on a treadmill or a wheel. These cranes had a wooden long boom referred to as a beam. The boom was connected to a base that rotates. The treadmill or the wheel was a power-driven operation which had a drum with a rope that wrapped around it. This rope also had a hook that lifted the weight and was connected to a pulley at the top of the boom.
Cranes were used extensively in the Middle Ages to make the huge cathedrals within Europe. These devices were also designed to unload and load ships within key ports. Over time, major developments in crane design evolved. Like for example, a horizontal boom was added to and was referred to as the jib. This boom addition allowed cranes to have the ability to pivot, hence greatly increasing the machine's range of motion. Following the 16th century, cranes had included two treadmills on each side of a rotating housing that held the boom.
Even until the mid-19th century, cranes continued to depend on animals and humans for power. Once steam engines were developed, this all rapidly changed. At the turn of the century, electric motors as well as IC or internal combustion engines emerged. Moreover, cranes 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 thus complete larger jobs in less time.