Engineered Overhead Bridge Cranes

Why choose Tri-State Overhead Crane and Hoist to design and build your next overhead crane and runway?

Tri-State Overhead Crane and Hoist is a leader in design and manufacturing of overhead bridge cranes. We have been providing American Made cranes and hoists to the Midwest and beyond for over 60 years and have shipped equipment to all 50 states and around the world. We can consult, design and fabricate your EOT crane for your specific application. All Tri-State cranes are designed to CMAA specifications and are fabricated in house at our 40,000 square foot state of the art facility located in St. Louis, MO.

Our equipment is used in traditional industries such as steel fabrication, coil handling, power, defense, railroad, automotive, paper milling as well as specialized environments such as medical, semi-conductor, biotechnology and food production.

Top Running vs Under Running (Under Hung) Cranes

Depending on your application, you may choose a single girder top running crane, a single girder under running (under hung) crane, a double girder top running crane or a double girder under running crane.

Single Girder Top Running Cranes

Tri-State Overhead Crane is your go-to source for top running single girder bridge cranes. Top running single girder bridge cranes can be provided for CMAA Class A, Class B, Class C and Class D with typical capacities up to 35 ton and spans to 90 feet. Higher capacities and spans are available. Typically, these single girder cranes are designed from standard I-Beams or Wide flange but can be provided with custom fabricated monobox, patented track or truss construction.

Advantages of Single Girder Top Running Cranes:

Cost effective due to less dead weight and thus less load on runway and building structure and foundations.
Less cost on freight to job site.
Easier installation thus less install costs.
Ease of maintenance.
All Tri-State Overhead Cranes (TSOC) are designed to CMAA specifications.

Single Girder Under Running Bridge Crane

Single Girder 5-Ton Under Running Bridge Crane

This style is also referred to as underrunning, under hung or under slung. Under running bridge cranes are especially versatile when properly applied and can be provided in spans exceeding 75 feet and capacities up to 25 tons, although typical spans do not exceed 60 feet with capacities not exceeding 15 tons. These can be provided in CMAA Class A (standby or infrequent service), Class B (light service), Class C (moderate service), or Class D (heavy service).

The construction of these single girder cranes allows interlocking systems where a transfer of the load is required from one bay to the next, transfer to monorail and then onto another crane, or onto a spur. Typically, these are provided as patented track design but can also be done with wide flange or standard I-beam construction.

Under running bridge cranes typically use electric chain hoists or electric wire rope hoists but can be provided with a pneumatic hoist or a manual hand chain hoist.

These single girder cranes can be provided with pushbutton from the hoist, from an independent traveling pushbutton or radio control.

Special construction for spark resistant, explosion proof or food grade applications are available. A special class of under running bridge cranes are workstation bridge cranes. These are under running and are typically provided for lighter loads (up to 4000 pounds) and are manually pushed but normally have an electric or air chain hoist.

Advantages of a Single Girder Under Running Bridge Crane

Hoist trolley can go underneath runway providing best end approach.
System can be integrated into building design for cost saving on runway structure.
Freestanding workstation bridge crane systems are especially rigid due to connection of columns to headers, and headers to the runway.
Can be provided interlocking to another crane or monorail.
Low headroom design especially with notched bridge beams taking advantage of the depth of the runway.
Easier installation thus less install costs.
Ease of maintenance.

Double Girder Top Running Bridge Cranes - 5 Ton to 100 Ton

50-Ton Double Girder Top Running Bridge Crane

60-Ton Double Girder Top Running Bridge Crane

5-Ton Double Girder Top Running Bridge Crane

Double girder top running bridge cranes are a proven solution for many of industries toughest applications.

They are typically used in heavy industrial applications ranging from aerospace, steel fabrication, steel processing, steel mills, repair of heavy construction/industrial equipment, defense, railroad construction, energy, plastics, ship construction, heavy chemical, heavy electrical, mining, scrap handling, refuse handling, oil refining to name a few. In addition, these can be provided for special environments such as molten metal handling, explosion proof or spark resistant, clean room, nuclear or food processing.

Double girder top running cranes can be provided for CMAA Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D, and Class E with typical capacities up to 500 tons and spans to 200 feet or more. Typically, these cranes are designed from Wide flange, reinforced wide flange or box girder construction. Trolleys run on ASCE rail or square bar. End trucks can be provided in 4 wheel or 8 wheel (bogey construction) for increased spans and capacities.

Double girder bridge cranes can be provided with many options. Some available options include dual hoist, radio remote control, independent traveling pushbutton station, anti-collision, limits for travel on hoist, bridge or trolley motion, variable frequency control with up to 1000:1 speed control, service and full man platforms, air conditioned controls, cab control, dummy cab, visual and auditory signals, and weight readout. Other specialized options can be provided such as powered bottom block, closed loop variable frequency drive control, magnets, cable reels, stacker mast, and stacker mast for boats.

Advantages of Double Girder Top Running Cranes

Maximum hook height.
Ease of maintenance especially with control on a catwalk.
Ultra-Low Headroom designs possible.
Durable construction for maximum up time-Less maintenance.
Longer spans and capacities available.
Modular easily repaired components such as brakes, motors, controls for ease of maintenance.
All trolley and end truck loads are on top of ASCE rail or bar so no lower flange loads creating peening or failure as on single girder cranes.
NEMA rated components available.
Faster travel speeds.
Longer spans.
Higher duty cycle.

Double Girder Under Running Bridge Cranes up to 25 Ton

Double Girder 10-Ton Under Running Bridge Crane

Double girder under running bridge cranes are an ideal solution for especially tight headroom clearances. The inherent design allows the hoist to be mounted in-between the girders utilizing the girder headroom for optimum high hook. Under running girder cranes are typically supported from a runway structure that has been integrated into the building design.

Double girder under running cranes can be provided for CMAA Class A, Class B, Class C and Class D with typical capacities up to 25 tons and spans to 100 feet or more. Typically, these double girder cranes are designed from Standard I-beam, Wide flange, reinforced wide flange or box girder construction. End trucks can be provided in 4 wheel or 8 wheel (bogey construction) for increased spans and capacities.

Double girder cranes are typically provided with electric wire rope trolley hoists but can also be provided with electric chain hoist depending on the application and customer preference. Although it is not common double girder under running bridge cranes can be provided with top running trolley hoists.

Double girder under running bridge cranes are typically used in light to heavy industrial applications ranging from mining, steel processing, steel mills, railroad equipment, equipment repair, farm implement repair, coal, electricity, defense, and aerospace. Special applications include spark resistant or explosion proof, clean room, and food processing environments.

Some available options for these overhead bridge cranes include but are not limited to dual hoist, radio remote control, custom variable frequency control with up to 1000:1 control ratio, full or service platform, horns and lights, overload protection, stacker masts and travel limits. All Tri-State overhead cranes are designed to CMAA specifications.

Advantages of Double Girder Under Running Cranes

Minimum headroom required.
Ease of maintenance especially with control on a catwalk.
Ultra-Low Headroom designs possible.
Durable construction for maximum up time-Less maintenance.
Longer spans and capacities available.
Modular easily repaired components available such as brakes, motors, controls for ease of maintenance.
NEMA rated components available.
Faster travel speeds.
Longer spans.
Higher duty cycle.
Can be designed with your building for an integrated system.

What is an Overhead Bridge Crane?

Overhead bridge cranes are used to lift and move material from one location to another in the most safe and efficient way. These cranes consist of two overhead runways, the bridge which is the horizontal beam that rides along the runways, a hoist and trolley.

Common overhead bridge crane terms:

Hook – attaches the load to be moved.
Hoist – this is mounted to the bottom of the bridge and moves the hook.
Trolley - allows the load and hoist to be moved from side to side.
Bridge - the load bearing beam which the hoist and trolly rides on.
Runway – parallel beams that allow the bridge to travel from one end to another.
End Truck – drives the bridge down the runway.
Control Panel – used to control the end truck.

Advantages of Overhead Bridge Cranes:

Improvement of workflow in your facility.
Product damage reduction.
Better control and precision of your load.
Health and safety improvement in your facility.
Less lifting accidents.
Lower operating costs compared to other floor mounted material handling.
Overhead bridge cranes are green with zero emissions and long life.
Custom engineered for your specific application and work area.

Overhead Bridge Crane Classification:

Bridge cranes can be provided for CMAA Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D, Class E and Class F with capacities to 200 tons and spans to 150 feet. We can provide simple single girder bridge cranes for general usage as well as custom built double girder bridge cranes for all industries.
Modular Cranes can be used off the shelf and are normally classified as A, B or C with up to 5-10 lifts per hour at 40% capacity (e.g. machine shops, sawmills).
Process Cranes are engineered for a specific need with continuous use and are classified as D, E or F. They are used for 10+ lifts per hour at 50-75% capacity (e.g. auto industry, steel mills).
Overhead bridge cranes can be provided in multiple configurations. Typical design includes single girder top running, single girder underrunning, double girder top running and double girder underrunning. Construction can be from standard I-Beams, Wide Flange beams, patented track, Monobox and Box girder design.

Let our team help your company with the selection of the correct overhead bridge crane for your application.

Types of Overhead Bridge Cranes

Tri-State Overhead Crane is your go-to source for all types of electric overhead traveling cranes (EOT crane) or ceiling mounted bridge cranes including:

Single girder crane: A single beam that runs above or below the runway/end trucks.
Double girder crane: Consists of 2 bridge beams on top of the runway/end trucks.
Top running crane: EOT (electric overhead traveling) crane mounted to the top of the runways.
Under running (under hung) crane: EOT crane with the end trucks attached and supported to the flanges on the bottom of the runway beams.

Many factors need to be considered when deciding which type of crane will be best for your application: What is the weight being lifted, will this be indoors or outdoors, the size of the building, the span of the overhead crane and how often will it be in use. Our in-house engineering can provide a complete package of footing design, runway design and bridge crane design. Our sales engineers can provide the expertise to help you choose the correct piece of equipment for your application.

Our equipment is used in traditional industries such as steel fabrication, coil handling, construction, equipment repair, power, defense, railroad as well as specialized environments such as medical, semi-conductor, biotechnology, and food processing. We can provide clean room as well as spark resistant, or explosion proof systems per your specifications.

Single Girder versus Double Girder Cranes

Single girder bridge cranes consist of a single bridge beam attached to the runways and are the proven solution for many material handling challenges. Properly applied these cranes can give years of service. They can be provided with manual chain hoists, electric chain hoists, or electric wire rope hoists for maximum flexibility in your work area and are highly customizable. Optional features include radio remote control, independent traveling pushbutton stations, anti-collision systems, travel limits for bridge and trolley, variable frequency control, bridge lights and warning bells or horn, weight readout to name a few.

Double girder bridge cranes consist of two bridge beams attached to the runways and are typically provided with top running electric wire rope trolley hoists but can also be provided with top running electric chain hoist depending on the application. Although it is not common double girder top running bridge cranes can be provided with underrunning trolley hoists. Our most popular capacities are: 5-Ton, 10-Ton, 15-Ton, 20-Ton, 25-Ton, 30-Ton, 50-Ton, 75-Ton, and 100-Ton.

TSOC distributes and manufactures single girder top running cranes, single girder under running bridge cranes, double girder top running bridge cranes and double girder under running bridge cranes; serving clients from coast to coast, Canada, Mexico and especially focused in the states of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, Tennessee, Kentucky, Iowa, and Oklahoma.