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Link-Belt Cranes
Link-Belt Cranes is an American manufacturer of heavy construction equipment, best known for its telescopic and lattice boom cranes. Founded in 1880, the company traces its origins to the invention of the detachable “link-belt” chain drive by Iowa inventor William Dana Ewart. Over time, Link-Belt expanded from agricultural machinery into cranes, excavators, and material-handling equipment.
Today, Link-Belt Cranes is headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, and operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Heavy Industries. The company designs and manufactures a range of mobile and crawler cranes for construction, infrastructure, and industrial applications.
In 1874, William Dana Ewart sold farm implements in Belle Plaine, Iowa. He invented a new harvester drive-chain which used a square detachable link—a "linked belt."
"William Ewart recognized that harvesters with continuous chain belt drives made up of square links and flat links would wear unevenly and break in one spot. Once broken, the entire chain belt had to be taken back to the barn for needed repairs, thus delaying all harvesting."
In 1875, Ewart and investors founded the Ewart Manufacturing Company to build and market the new detachable drive chain. This later changed to Ewart Detachable Link-Belt.
In the 1880s, Ewart's company looked to expand into coal handling. Ewart Detachable Link-Belt became Link-Belt Machinery Company. In 1888, the company created a separate Link-Belt Engineering Company for its development efforts.
During this period, cranes and excavators shared many similarities. Steam shovels were mounted on railroad chassis. Temporary rail tracks were laid by workers where the shovel was expected to work, then repositioned as required.
The railroad market provided a successful focus for the growing companies. Link-Belt Machinery began manufacturing railroad coal-handling cranes. Link-Belt Engineering began custom designing and building locomotive coaling stations, building facilities railroads like the New York Central and Hudson, the Philadelphia and Reading, and the Chicago and West Michigan. In 1894, Link-Belt developed the first wide-gauge, steam-powered, coal-handling clamshell-bucket crane.
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Link-Belt Cranes
Link-Belt Cranes is an American manufacturer of heavy construction equipment, best known for its telescopic and lattice boom cranes. Founded in 1880, the company traces its origins to the invention of the detachable “link-belt” chain drive by Iowa inventor William Dana Ewart. Over time, Link-Belt expanded from agricultural machinery into cranes, excavators, and material-handling equipment.
Today, Link-Belt Cranes is headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky, and operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Heavy Industries. The company designs and manufactures a range of mobile and crawler cranes for construction, infrastructure, and industrial applications.
In 1874, William Dana Ewart sold farm implements in Belle Plaine, Iowa. He invented a new harvester drive-chain which used a square detachable link—a "linked belt."
"William Ewart recognized that harvesters with continuous chain belt drives made up of square links and flat links would wear unevenly and break in one spot. Once broken, the entire chain belt had to be taken back to the barn for needed repairs, thus delaying all harvesting."
In 1875, Ewart and investors founded the Ewart Manufacturing Company to build and market the new detachable drive chain. This later changed to Ewart Detachable Link-Belt.
In the 1880s, Ewart's company looked to expand into coal handling. Ewart Detachable Link-Belt became Link-Belt Machinery Company. In 1888, the company created a separate Link-Belt Engineering Company for its development efforts.
During this period, cranes and excavators shared many similarities. Steam shovels were mounted on railroad chassis. Temporary rail tracks were laid by workers where the shovel was expected to work, then repositioned as required.
The railroad market provided a successful focus for the growing companies. Link-Belt Machinery began manufacturing railroad coal-handling cranes. Link-Belt Engineering began custom designing and building locomotive coaling stations, building facilities railroads like the New York Central and Hudson, the Philadelphia and Reading, and the Chicago and West Michigan. In 1894, Link-Belt developed the first wide-gauge, steam-powered, coal-handling clamshell-bucket crane.