Forklifts are utilized within manufacturing, warehousing, material handling, construction and mining applications to raise, engage and transfer palletized loads. Lift trucks have 3 main kinds: a motorized drive, fork truck and manual drive. The load movement or travel is powered manually or by walking at the rear of the equipment with manual-drive forklifts.
Motorized-drive model forklifts are equipped with a motorized drive. In numerous instances, a protected cab or seat is part of the design in order to keep the operator safe and comfortable. Fork trucks are a different type that are motorized and include features like cabs and backup alarms. In order to prevent the machine from tipping over, several lift trucks are counterbalanced. Other models consist of safety rails, a rotating element like a turntable or different types of hand rails.
When choosing forklifts, important specifications to take into consideration comprise lift capacity and stroke. Stroke is defined as the difference between the fully-raised and the fully-lowered lift positions. Lift capacity is the maximum, supportable load or forcforce or load. Other specifications for forklifts comprise their tire and type of fuel.
Forklifts consist of different fuel options like: liquid propane or LPG, CNG or compressed natural gas, propane, diesel fuel, gasoline and natural gas. There are 2 basic types of tires for operating forklifts and fork trucks: pneumatic and solid. Cushion or solid tires do not puncture and need less maintenance compared to pneumatic tires. The solid or cushion tires do offer less shock absorption overall. Pneumatic or air-inflated tires on the other hand offer great load-cushioning and drive traction.
There are 7 classes of lift trucks. The first class of lift trucks, Class I, is either seated or stand-up 3 wheeled units which are electric-motor rider trucks. Normally, rider units are counterbalanced and may have either pneumatic or cushion wheels. Class II lift trucks are electric motor units that are used for order picking or stock applications in narrow aisle setting. These types of forklifts provide extra swing mast or reach functions.
Forklift Class III lift trucks include walk-behind or standing-rider operated electric-motor trucks. High lift models and automated pallet lift trucks are normally counterbalanced units. Class IV lift trucks have cabs and seated controls. These kinds of forklifts are rider fork trucks with internal combustion or IC engines. Moreover, this class uses solid or cushion tires.
Class V lift trucks are rider fork trucks. They have seated controls and cabs, pneumatic tires and IC or internal combustion engines. Like Class IV lift trucks, they are typically counterbalanced. Class VI lift trucks are tow tractor lifts which are designed for a sit-down rider. This particular class is supplied with electric or IC or internal combustion engines.
Class VII lift trucks are the last classification and include rough terrain forklifts, that are normally used in agricultural, construction and logging applications. Class VII forklifts include all employee carriers and burden carriers.