1) Stacker crane
The stacker crane in appearance looks like a conventional bridge crane except that in place of a hoist, a rotating ridged or telescoping mast is suspended from the bridge trolley with the mast equipped with a load handling device such as single or double forks or a grab.
These cranes can be manually operated or powered and are used where the carne spans multiple aisles allowing for the storage and retrieval within any aisle of items such as coils of steel.
2) Straddle crane
A crane that is configured to "straddle" a load and often is wheeled. Often used in lumber yards or to move large containers at sea ports.
3) Tower crane
A crane designed to handle very large, heavy loads used at construction sites and for the loading and unloading of sea going containers.
4) Single leg gantry crane
A gantry crane designed to have one "leg" of the crane supporting an end of the bridge and the other end of the bridge is supported by an end truck running on an elevated rail or runway. Often referred to as a semigantry crane.
5) Truss girder crane
An overhead traveling crane designed with structurally reinforced bridge girders to allow greater span and loading capabilities. The reinforcement consists of utilization of trusses extended vertically and horizontally from the load bearing beam(s) of the crane bridge.
6) Semigantry crane
A gantry crane designed to have one "leg" of the crane supporting an end of the bridge and the other end of the bridge is supported by an end truck running on an elevated rail or runway. Often referred to as a semigantry crane.
7) Tagline
An electrical conductor system employing flexible cables which are festooned along the bridge or runway. The cable is attached to trolleys or hooks which operate on a rigid bar or tight wire along the entire bridge width or runway length. This arrangement serves to keep the cables "out of the way" of the crane and hoist movement.
8) Single girder crane
An overhead traveling crane that utilizes a single bridge beam attached to the two runway/end trucks. This bridge beam or single girder supports a lifting mechanism or hoist that "runs" on the bottom flange of the bridge beam.
9) Top running crane
An electric overhead traveling crane having the end trucks supported on rails attached to the top of the crane runways.
10) Underhung crane
An electric overhead traveling crane having the end trucks supported on track attached to the bottom flanges of the beam; or supported on bottom flanges of beams. These beams make up the crane runway.
11) Under running crane
An electric overhead traveling crane having the end trucks supported on track attached to the bottom flanges of the beam; or supported on bottom flanges of beams. These beams make up the crane runway.