Excavator Coloring Pages

Although excavators are viewed as a relatively modern invention. Each stage of their development was driven by a boom in industry and construction, requiring increasingly complex, mechanized solutions. In the early 19th century, even heavy construction work was still done by large teams of laborers using simple hand tools. The industrial revolution sweeping the world required large quantities of raw materials and the means to move them long distances. Teams of men with rudimentary tools were simply not up to the challenge, but advances in manufacturing and technology soon changed that.

When was the excavator invented?

In the 1830s, railroad construction was booming in America, with the goal of providing a network of high-speed, direct links between centers of commerce and industry. Speed counted, and engineering firms received bonuses for rapid completion. Inspired by this fact, a 22-year-old inventor from Pelham, Massachusetts, developed a solution. Known as the "grandfather of the hydraulic excavator," William Otis, along with engineer Charles French, invented the first steam shovel. Developed for the engineering firm of Carmichael and Fairbanks for the Boston and Albany Railroad contract, it was revolutionary. We for you have coloring pages with excavators for kids.

Popular excavators - choose coloring books

With many features of modern excavators, the Otis Power Shovel was the first example of self-propelled earthmoving equipment. Because internal combustion engines had not yet been invented, the machine was driven along rails by a boiler and steam engine. On a swinging boom attached to a fixed mast was a bucket arm and a toothed bucket holding about 0.76 cubic meters of earth. The bucket was raised and lowered by a two-reel chain hoist, operated by a man on the ground. The boom was moved from side to side by two other workers using heavy ropes. In 1839, William patented a steam-powered crane excavator, perfecting his design. Because of the cost, it had to take some time before it became popular because immigrant labor was still so cheap. Eventually his designs were used on such large projects as the construction of the Panama Canal. Sadly, William died of spotted typhus at the age of only 26 and never lived to see the huge contributions he made to the construction industry.

First excavators in coloring books for children ?

In contrast, the first hydraulic excavator did not appear until 1882, built by Si r W. G. Armstrong & Company in England. It was realized that hydraulic power was a much more efficient source of power for digging and was used in a groundbreaking design. Used in the construction of docks in Hull, the excavator used water instead of modern hydraulic fluid. Although many question its status as a true hydraulic excavator, the original definition of hydraulics as "operated by water" is still valid. We invite you to choose modern and vintage coloring books with excavators on our printables.co.uk website. 

What are the most popular coloring books among boys ?

In 1897, the Kilgore Machine Company of America produced the first all-hydraulic excavator. It used four direct-acting steam cylinders, dispensing with ropes and chains altogether. Built almost entirely of steel, it was much more durable and resistant to wear than previous designs. The use of hydraulic cylinders meant that every action performed by the excavator was cushioned, reducing wear and tear on the machine itself. Its simple design reduced the number of working parts, which made maintenance easier and less likely to fail. Such machines are also popular and popularly colored by boys in coloring books. Like modern excavators, it could be operated by a single worker, whose movements of the controls were immediately mapped by the machine itself. The bucket could be dumped with a foot pedal, without the need for a second operator.

After World War II, the world went through a period of industrial and economic recovery. New trade agreements were made and the damage caused by years of conflict had to be repaired. In 1948, two Italian brothers, Mario and Carlo Bruneri, designed a prototype for the first mass-produced hydraulic excavator. A patent for this design was granted in 1951, but it was not very successful. However, manufacturers in other countries anticipated its widespread use.