There are primarily two types of load charts.
A horizontal load chart will depict the crane with its extensions fully deployed in a horizontal position, parallel to the ground. Underneath the diagram, the chart will show how much weight the crane can lift at the end of a particular extension and how far away from the crane’s column the extension ends. It displays both the distance and lifting capacity at the end of every extension on the crane.
The Amco Veba 924 with seven extensions
The other type is a rectangular diagram showing the arc of a crane’s reach, from its most vertical position to its horizontal position. The axes show a measure of distance. The numbers below show the weight and distance at the end of every extension.
The lines within the radius of the crane’s potential movement show how lifting capacity changes as the crane moves from a horizontal to a vertical position. Look at the load chart below and identify the end of the 4th extension (lifting 1,760 lbs. at 40’5”). As the crane moves more vertically, the capacity will increase to somewhere around 2,700 lbs. This is due to the crane’s geometry and the changing of the load moment.
The Amco Veba 815 with five extensions