The forklift is a mobile equipment that utilizes 2 prongs or forks to lift and place loads into positions which would be usually hard to reach. Usually, lift trucks fall into 2 major categories: industrial and rough-terrain.
Most often, industrial lift trucks are used around truck loading docks and train loading docks in addition to in warehouse operations. These equipment have smaller tires which are designed to run on paved 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 forklift is engineered to be operated on unpaved and rough surfaces. Normally, they are the ideal option for construction and military applications. Rough terrain forklifts generally have big pneumatic tires that are generally powered by internal industrial engines that run on diesel or propane fuel. These lift truck models could have a telescoping boom, capable of lifting cargo up and out from the equipment's base or they could utilize a vertical tower, which is responsible for lifting cargo straight up.
In the year 1946, the rough terrain forklift emerged as a 2 pronged lift attachment was placed on a tractor chassis or a power buggy. This initial machinery was used around construction locations and was able to raise to a height of 30 inches or 76 cm and had a lifting capacity can lift 454 kg or 1000 pounds. Vertical tower forklifts were quickly developed for industrial use and rough terrain forklifts became famous too. By the time the 1950s came around, there were available models which could raise up to heights of 9 meters or 30 feet and had lift capacities of 1135 kg or 2500 pounds.
The original 4-wheel drive rough terrain forklift was introduced during 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 1962. This model enabled loads to be positioned out from the base of the equipment both below and above grade.