Lift trucks are mobile machinery that utilize 2 forks or prongs in order to place loads into positions that will typically be hard to reach. Usually, forklifts fall into 2 major categories: rough-terrain and industrial.
Industrial lift trucks are most often utilized around truck and train loading docks in addition to lots of warehouse applications. These equipment have smaller tires which are designed to run on paved surfaces. Normally, industrial lift trucks 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 engineered to be operated on rough and unpaved surfaces. Usually, they are the great option for construction and military applications. Rough terrain forklifts normally have large pneumatic tires which are generally powered by internal industrial engines that run on diesel or propane fuel. These forklift units could have a telescoping boom, that could carry cargo up and out from the machine's base or they could utilize a vertical tower, which is responsible for lifting loads straight up.
The rough terrain forklift emerged during the year 1946, after a 2 pronged lift attachment was attached to a tractor chassis or a power buggy. This first machine was used around construction sites and could raise to a height of 30 inches or 76 centimeters and had a lifting capacity could carry 454 kg or 1000 pounds. Vertical tower forklifts were rapidly developed for industrial use and rough terrain forklifts became popular too. By the time the 1950s came around, there were units available which could lift 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 the year 1958. It offered a capacity of 6000 lbs. or 2724 kg 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 in 1962. This specific model allowed loads to be positioned out from the base of the equipment both above and below grade.