Forklifts are used in warehousing, manufacturing, material handling, construction and mining applications to raise, engage and transport palletized loads. Lift trucks have 3 main kinds: a motorized drive, fork truck and manual drive. The travel or load movement is powered manually or by walking at the rear of the equipment with manual-drive lift trucks.
Motorized-drive model forklifts are complete with a motorized drive. In numerous instances, a protected cab or seat is part of the design to keep the operator comfortable and safe. Fork trucks are a different kind that are motorized and comprise features like cabs and backup alarms. In order to prevent the vehicle from overturning, some lift trucks are counterbalanced. Other kinds of forklifts comprise safety rails, a rotating element like a turntable or different kinds of hand rails.
When choosing lift trucks, important specifications to take into account consist of stroke and lift capacity. Stroke is defined as the difference between the fully-lowered and the fully-raised lift positions. Lift capacity is the supportable, maximum load or forcforce or load. Additional specifications for lift trucks consist of their tire and type of fuel.
Different fuel options for forklifts include: LP or liquid propane, compressed natural gas or CNG, diesel fuel, propane, natural gas and gasoline. There are 2 basic types of tires for operating forklifts and fork trucks: pneumatic and solid. Cushion or solid tires do not puncture and require less maintenance than pneumatic tires. The solid or cushion tires do offer less shock absorption in general. Air-inflated or pneumatic tires however provide excellent drive traction and load-cushioning.
For forklifts, there are 7 classes. Class 1 lift trucks include electric-motor rider trucks, stand-up or seated 3 wheeled units. Usually, rider units are counterbalanced and can have either pneumatic or cushion wheels. Class II lift trucks are electric motor units that are utilized for stock applications or order picking in narrow aisle setting. These types of forklifts provide extra reach functions or swing mast.
Class III forklifts are either standing-rider or walk-behind operated electric-motor trucks. Automated pallet lift trucks and high lift models are usually counterbalanced units. Class IV forklifts have seated controls and cabs. These models are rider fork trucks with IC or internal combustion engines. Furthermore, this class has solid or cushion tires.
Rider fork Trucks are incorporated in Class V. These equipment will have seated controls and cabs, pneumatic tires and IC or internal combustion engines. Like Class IV lift trucks, they are normally counterbalanced. Class VI forklifts are tow tractor lifts which are designed for a sit-down rider. This particular class is supplied with IC or internal combustion or electric engines.
Class VII forklifts are the last classification and include rough terrain forklifts, that are usually utilized in construction, logging and agricultural applications. Class VII forklifts consist of all employee carriers and burden carriers.