The lift truck is a mobile machine which utilizes 2 prongs or forks to carry and place loads into positions that would be usually hard to reach. Typically, forklifts fall into 2 major categories: industrial and rough-terrain.
Industrial forklifts are most often utilized around train and truck loading docks in addition to lots of warehouse operation. These machinery have smaller tires that are engineered to run on smooth surfaces. Usually, industrial forklifts are powered by an internal gasoline engine running on diesel fuel or propane.
Smaller lift trucks 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 alternative for construction and military operation. Rough terrain forklifts normally have big pneumatic tires which are normally powered by internal industrial engines which run on propane, diesel or propane fuel. These forklift models could have a telescoping boom, capable of lifting cargo up and out from the base of the equipment or they could utilize a vertical tower, which is responsible for carrying cargo straight up.
During 1946, the rough terrain lift truck emerged as a 2 pronged lift attachment was placed on a tractor chassis or a power buggy. This initial equipment was used around construction locations and can lift to a height of 30 inches or 76 cm and had a lifting capacity can lift 1000 pounds or 454 kg. Vertical tower forklifts were rapidly developed for industrial application and rough terrain lift trucks became famous as well. By the time the 1950s came around, there were available models which could lift up to heights of 9 meters or 30 feet and had lift capacities of 2500 pounds or 1135 kg.
During the year 1958, the original 4-wheel drive rough terrain lift truck was introduced with a capacity of 2724 kg or 6000 lbs. and had a lift height of 7 meters or 22.5 feet or 1362 kg or 3000 lbs. and 11 meters or 35 feet. The very first telescoping boom rough terrain forklift emerged on the market in the year 1962. This unit allowed loads to be placed out from the base of the equipment both below and above grade.