Exercise 1. Read the sentences and decide what number from the box might be for each gap. Then watch the video and check your answers.

a) 40 b) 25,000 c) between 35 and 1200 d) 20,000 e) 200 f) 20,000

1) A new Liebherr mobile crane has ……… parts.

2) It took ……… hours to develop the new crane.

3) Liebherr has over ……… years of experience.

4) ………. mobile and crawler cranes have left Liebherr’s manufacturing facility in Ehingen during these years of experience.

5) Liebherr mobile cranes have a lifting capacity ……… tonnes.

6) Crawler cranes can lift loads to height over ……… meters.

Exercise 2. Discuss the questions with your partner.

1) What accounts for the success of Liebherr cranes?

2) Where is training provided for junior workforce?

3) What qualities do employees need?

Speaking

Describe different types of cranes.

Word list

1.	hoist	подъёмный механизм
2.	jib [ʤɪb]	стрела
3.	jib crane	стреловой кран
4.	mobile crane ['məubaɪl]	самоходный кран
5.	truss	ферма
6.	telescopic boom	телескопическая стрела
7.	rubber-tire crane	пневмоколёсный кран
8.	railway crane	железнодорожный кран
9.	bridge crane	кран мостового типа
10.	overhead crane ['əuvehed]	мостовой кран
11.	beam	балка
12.	rail	зд. балка
13.	gantry crane ['gæntrɪ]	козловой кран
14.	counterweight ['kauntəweɪt]	противовес
15.	lifting capacity [kə'pæsətɪ]	грузоподъёмность (подъёмного оборудования)
16.	reach [riːʧ]	вылет стрелы

TOWER CRANES

Start up

Discuss these questions with your partner.

1) What is a tower crane?

2) Where is a tower crane used?

3) How do tower cranes arrive at the construction site?

4) How much weight can a tower crane lift?

5) Why doesn’t a tower crane tip over? How can such a long jib lift so much weight?

Reading

Read the text and give the names of the tower crane elements.

Text B

TOWER CRANES

The jib extends horizontally at various lengths depending on the model and configuration of the crane. A trolley moves loads in and out from the cranes center. Rotation of the jib is achieved by employing the slewing action. A hook is attached to the hook block which provides free rotation and positioning of a load.

Counterweights are found on the counter jib platform. Located behind the operator cab, the counter jib provides a balancing force to the load on the horizontal jib. Counterweights are fabricated from concrete. The number of counterweights depends on the maximum load capacity, jib length and tower height.

Tower cranes use a tower top section for greater torque and stability. Pendant bars provide additional stability to the crane. They are attached from the tower top to the jib and counter jib.

Movements of the crane are controlled from the operator cab. Within the cab sits the operator’s chair with joystick controls, electronic monitoring devices and communication systems.

The slewing ring drives the rotational movement of the slewing unit (jib, counter jib, cab, and tower top). The slewing ring is capable of enormous torque.

A crane’s mast (or tower) is constructed of a series of tower crane sections. Sections are bolted together as the tower crane is erected. Access ladders are incorporated in the interior of the sections to enable workers to move up and down the crane.

The undercarriage of the crane acts as a base for the tower mast. Bogies are used for moving the crane on rails.

Vocabulary

Complete the sentences.

1) ……… are installed when construction begins and dismantled when the building is completed.

2) The most prominent component of tower cranes is the ……… .

3) The tower mast is made of steel trussed ……… that are connected together during installation.

4) The ……… enables the crane to rotate.

5) The ……… contains the operating controls.

6) The ……… is used to connect the material to the crane.

7) Large concrete ……… are mounted toward the rear of the mast, to compensate for the weight of the material lifted.

8) Tower cranes are used in ……… to lift and move materials.

9) A primary function of the ……… is balancing the forces on the crane caused by the load.

10)А ……… is a vehicle running along and under the jib; the hoisting rope is suspended from it.

Rendering