Forklifts are utilized in warehousing, manufacturing, material handling, construction and mining applications to raise, engage and transfer palletized loads. Lift trucks have 3 basic types: a fork truck, manual drive and motorized drive. The travel or load movement is powered manually or by walking behind the machinery with manual-drive forklifts.
The motorized forklift models come complete with a motorized drive and in lots of cases have a seat or protected cab in their design to keep the operator safe and comfortable. Fork trucks are another type that are motorized and include features like cabs and backup alarms. In order to prevent the equipment from overturning, several lift trucks are counterbalanced. Other models consist of safety rails, a rotating element like for example a turntable or other types of hand rails.
When choosing lift trucks, essential specifications to take into consideration include lift capacity and stroke. Stroke is defined as the difference between the fully-lowered and the fully-raised lift positions. Lift capacity is the maximum, supportable load or forcforce or load. Additional specifications for forklifts include their tire and type of fuel.
Forklifts consist of different fuel options like: liquid propane or LPG, compressed natural gas or CNG, diesel fuel, propane, natural gas and gasoline. There are 2 basic kinds of tires utilized for operating forklifts and fork trucks: solid and pneumatic. Cushion or solid tires need less maintenance than pneumatic tires and do not puncture. The cushion or solid tires do offer less shock absorption overall. Air-inflated or pneumatic tires however offer excellent load-cushioning and drive traction.
There are 7 classes of lift trucks. The first class of forklifts, Class I, is either seated or stand-up 3 wheeled units which are electric-motor rider trucks. Usually, rider units are counterbalanced and may have either pneumatic or cushion wheels. Class II lift trucks are electric motor units that are used for stock applications or order picking in narrow aisle setting. These kinds of forklifts offer extra swing mast or reach functions.
Class III forklifts are either walk-behind or standing-rider operated electric-motor trucks. High lift models and automated pallet lift trucks are usually counterbalanced units. Class IV lift trucks have seated controls and cabs. These models are rider fork trucks with internal combustion or IC engines. In addition, this class has cushion or solid tires.
Rider fork Trucks are included in Class V. These machinery will have seated controls and cabs, pneumatic tires and internal combustion or IC engines. Similar to 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 forklifts are the last classification and consist of rough terrain lift trucks, that are usually utilized in logging, agricultural and construction applications. Class VII forklifts include all employee carriers and burden carriers.