The forklift is a mobile machine that utilizes 2 prongs or forks to lift and place loads into positions that would be usually difficult to reach. Normally, forklifts fall into 2 major categories: rough-terrain and industrial.
Industrial lift trucks are most commonly used around truck and train loading docks in addition to a lot of warehouse applications. These machinery have smaller tires which are engineered 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 forklift is designed to be operated on rough and unpaved surfaces. Usually, they are the great option for military and construction applications. Rough terrain lift trucks normally have big pneumatic tires which are generally powered by internal industrial engines which run on diesel or propane fuel. These forklift units can have a telescoping boom, that could carry cargo up and out from the equipment's base or they could utilize a vertical tower, which is responsible for carrying loads straight up.
In 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 first machinery was utilized around construction sites and was able to raise to a height of 76 cm or 30 inches and had a lifting capacity could carry 1000 pounds or 454 kg. Vertical tower forklifts were quickly developed for industrial application and rough terrain forklifts became famous as well. By the time the 1950s came around, there were available models that could lift up to heights of 30 feet or 9 meters and had lift capacities of 1135 kg or 2500 lbs.
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 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 machinery both above and below grade.