The lift truck is a mobile machine that uses 2 forks or prongs to lift and place cargo into positions that will be usually difficult to reach. Typically, forklifts fall into 2 main categories: rough-terrain and industrial.
Industrial forklifts are most commonly utilized around train and truck loading docks in addition to a lot of warehouse applications. These equipment have smaller tires which are engineered to run on paved surfaces. Typically, industrial forklifts are powered by an internal gasoline engine running on propane or diesel fuel.
Smaller forklifts may run off an internal battery charging an electric motor. And as the name implies, the rough terrain lift truck is designed to be operated on unpaved and rough surfaces. Commonly, they are the great option for military and construction applications. Rough terrain lift trucks normally have large pneumatic tires which are normally powered by internal industrial engines that run on diesel or propane fuel. These forklift models can have a telescoping boom, capable of lifting loads up and out from the base of the machine or they may utilize a vertical tower, which is responsible for lifting cargo straight up.
In the year 1946, the rough terrain lift truck emerged as a 2 pronged lift attachment was placed on a tractor chassis or a power buggy. This first machine was utilized around construction sites and can lift to a height of 30 inches or 76 cm and had a lifting capacity can carry 1000 pounds or 454 kg. Vertical tower forklifts were rapidly developed for industrial application and rough terrain forklifts became popular too. By the time the 1950s came around, there were units available that could lift up to heights of 30 feet or 9 meters and had lift capacities of 1135 kg or 2500 lbs.
The original 4-wheel drive rough terrain forklift was introduced during the year 1958. It offered a capacity of 2724 kg or 6000 lbs. and had a lift height of 22.5 feet or 7 meters or 1362 kg or 3000 lbs. and 35 feet or 11 meters. The very first telescoping boom rough terrain forklift emerged on the market during the year 1962. This particular unit enabled cargo to be placed out from the base of the equipment both below and above grade.