The lift truck is a mobile machine which utilizes 2 forks or prongs to lift and place cargo into positions that would be usually hard to reach. Normally, forklifts fall into 2 main categories: industrial and rough-terrain.
Industrial lift trucks are most often utilized around train and truck loading docks in addition to lots of warehouse operation. These equipment have smaller tires that are engineered to run on paved surfaces. Usually, industrial lift trucks are powered by an internal gasoline engine running on propane or diesel fuel.
Smaller lift trucks may run off an internal battery charging an electric motor. And as the name implies, the rough terrain forklift is engineered to be operated on rough and unpaved surfaces. Commonly, they are the great alternative for military and construction applications. Rough terrain lift trucks generally have big pneumatic tires that are generally powered by internal industrial engines that run on diesel or propane fuel. These forklift models could have a telescoping boom, capable of carrying cargo up and out from the equipment's base or they can use a vertical tower, which is responsible for lifting 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 utilized around construction locations and was able to lift to a height of 76 cm or 30 inches and had a lifting capacity could lift 454 kg or 1000 pounds. Vertical tower forklifts were rapidly developed for industrial use and rough terrain lift trucks became famous too. By the time the 1950s came around, there were models available which could raise up to heights of 9 meters or 30 feet and had lift capacities of 1135 kg or 2500 pounds.
The first 4-wheel drive rough terrain forklift was introduced during 1958. It offered a capacity of 6000 lbs. or 2724 kg and had a lift height of 7 meters or 22.5 feet or 3000 lbs. or 1362 kg and 35 feet or 11 meters. The very first telescoping boom rough terrain lift truck emerged on the market during the year 1962. This unit allowed loads to be placed out from the base of the machinery both below and above grade.