Hydraulic cranes may be common today, but as recently as the 1940s most cranes were still friction operated. Roy Billings, Milwaukee Hydraulics Corp. president, saw an opportunity to improve the portability, safety and difficulty of operating cranes by using hydraulics, and by 1946, Milwaukee Hydraulics had developed America’s first hydraulic crane.
The first crane produced by the company was the H-2 Hydrocrane. The company sold 200 H-2 cranes in the first year they were on the market, according to ConstructionEquipment.com. The H-2 could be mounted on the bed of any 2-ton truck where it could lift two tons. The crane also featured an 8-foot radius, and included hydraulic outriggers and a telescoping boom. It could also be equipped with a quarter-yard hydraulic clamshell. The crane’s hydraulic pumps were PTO-powered and driven by the engine in the truck. All crane movement, including the outriggers, could be controlled by the crane operator from within the cab.
The immediate popularity of the H-2 attracted the attention of engineers at Bucyrus-Erie Co. in South Milwaukee. Bucyrus-Erie’s chief engineer was particularly impressed with the H-2 – in particular the telescopic boom and hydraulic outriggers. Two years later, in 1948, Bucyrus-Erie bought Milwaukee Hydraulics and continued to develop the hydraulic crane.
Larger and more powerful versions of the H-2 soon followed. The H-3 replaced the original H-2 in 1951. The truck-mounted H-3 crane was designed to lift three tons, but could also be used as a truck-mounted backhoe. By 1955, yet another Hydrocrane was introduced. The H-5 was able to life nine tons and could be fitted with a half-yard clamshell. The H-3 and H-5 continued to be improved, allowing them to lift more weight and accept more attachments. These models both continued to be popular as hydraulic crane evolution continued, and were manufactured for more than a quarter of a century before being discontinued in 1981.
Today, AstroCrane provides crane rentals of the latest models of hydraulic cranes on the market today. Customers across New England have worked with us to rent hydraulic cranes ranging from six to 600 tons. Contractors can rent a well-maintained crane, and even hire a crane and operator to safely finish any job.
Contact us at 800-696-2787 to learn more about setting up your lift with our crane rental services.
