The forklift is a mobile machinery that uses 2 forks or prongs to lift and place loads into positions that would be normally difficult to reach. Normally, lift trucks fall into 2 major categories: industrial and rough-terrain.
Industrial lift trucks are most often utilized around train and truck loading docks in addition to lots of warehouse applications. These equipment have smaller tires that are engineered to run on smooth surfaces. Typically, industrial lift trucks are powered by an internal gasoline engine running on diesel fuel or propane.
There are several smaller industrial lift truck models that utilize an electric motor running off an internal battery. As the name implies, rough terrain forklifts are designed to run on rough and unpaved surfaces. Normally, they are the ideal choice for construction and military applications. Rough terrain forklifts normally have big pneumatic tires which are usually powered by internal industrial engines that run on propane, diesel or propane fuel. These forklift models can have a telescoping boom, capable of lifting cargo up and out from the machine's base or they could use a vertical tower, which is responsible for lifting cargo straight up.
During 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 initial machine was used around construction sites and was able to lift to a height of 76 cm or 30 inches and had a lifting capacity can lift 1000 pounds or 454 kg. Vertical tower forklifts were quickly developed for industrial use and rough terrain forklifts became popular as well. By the time the 1950s came around, there were available units which could raise up to heights of 30 feet or 9 meters and had lift capacities of 2500 lbs or 1135 kg.
The first 4-wheel drive rough terrain forklift was introduced in 1958. It offered a capacity of 2724 kg or 6000 lbs. and had a lift height of 7 meters or 22.5 feet or 3000 lbs. or 1362 kg and 11 meters or 35 feet. The first telescoping boom rough terrain forklift emerged on the market in the year 1962. This model enabled cargo to be positioned out from the base of the equipment both below and above grade.