One of Gelco’s ‘clever crane’ at Saie 2006, with its four legs jacked down.
The ‘Clever Crane’ range clearly shows its Italian origins: it is designed for access to the sort of narrow, winding, streets that enchant visitors to the country, but infuriate crane operators. Cristian Torri, from Gelco’s distributor Compass Consulting, showed Cranes Today the three key, patented, features of the range.
The most noticeable difference between Gelco’s cranes and other self-erectors is the set of four legs that can lift the entire unit 2.75m into the air: enough for pedestrians or vehicles to pass underneath the crane safely. Each leg is extended with a separate, independent, hydraulic jack, meaning that the crane can be safely erected on a slope or with two of the legs standing on a ledge, higher than the others. The company also points out that the extra height the legs give to the chassis can make it easier to extend the crane’s jib in tight spaces.
As well as being easy to erect in tight spaces, without interfering with passing traffic, the crane is designed to be manoeuvred under its own power through narrow, winding and sloped roads. Afour stroke motor on the chassis provides power to four steerable wheels, controlled through an electronic console at the rear of the crane. The company claims that the crane can be steered up slopes at a 25° gradient.
Finally, a third section to the crane’s telescopic mast both increases its height in use, and reduces its folded length when being transported. In the largest crane in the range, the G 2626 TTBE, a 31.7m high crane can be folded and transported in a unit only 9.9m long. This model can lift 700kg at 25.5m, or 1500kg at 12.5m.
Torri explained that the company has been making good sales in Italy since 2006, but has now bought in a new sales team market the range to customers overseas.
