Lift trucks are utilized in warehousing, manufacturing, material handling, construction and mining applications to lift, engage and transfer palletized loads. Lift trucks have 3 main types: a motorized drive, fork truck and manual drive. The load movement or travel is powered manually or by walking at the rear of the machine with manual-drive forklifts.
Motorized-drive model forklifts are complete with a motorized drive. In many instances, a seat or protected cab is part of the design in order to keep the operator comfortable and safe. Fork trucks are another type that are motorized and consist of features such as cabs and backup alarms. In order to prevent the machinery from tipping over, some forklifts are counterbalanced. Other types of forklifts include safety rails, a rotating element like for instance a turntable or other types of hand rails.
Essential specifications to take into account when selecting forklifts 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. Other specifications for forklifts consist of their tire and type of fuel.
Different fuel options for forklifts include: liquid propane or LPG, CNG or compressed natural gas, propane, diesel fuel, natural gas and gasoline. There are 2 major kinds of tires for operating fork trucks and forklifts: solid and pneumatic. Cushion or solid tires require less maintenance than pneumatic tires and do not puncture. The solid or cushion tires do offer less shock absorption overall. Air-inflated or pneumatic tires on the other hand offer great drive traction and load-cushioning.
For forklifts, there are 7 classes. Class 1 forklifts include electric-motor rider trucks, seated or stand-up 3 wheeled units. Typically, rider units can have either pneumatic or cushion wheels and are counterbalanced. Class II lift trucks are electric motor units which are utilized for order picking or stock applications in narrow aisle setting. These models provide extra swing mast or reach functions.
Forklift Class III lift trucks include 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 cabs and seated controls. These models are rider fork trucks with internal combustion or IC engines. Furthermore, this class utilizes cushion or solid tires.
Rider fork Trucks are incorporated in Class V. These machines would have seated controls and cabs, pneumatic tires and internal combustion or IC engines. Similar to Class IV forklifts, they are normally counterbalanced. Class VI forklifts are tow tractor lifts that are designed for a sit-down rider. This class is supplied with internal combustion or IC or electric engines.
Class VII lift trucks are the last classification and include rough terrain forklifts, that are normally used in construction, logging and agricultural applications. Class VII forklifts consist of all personnel carriers and burden carriers.