Forklifts are mobile machinery that utilize 2 forks or prongs in order to place cargo into positions which will normally be hard to reach. Normally, forklifts fall into 2 main 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 operation. These equipment have smaller tires which are designed to run on smooth surfaces. Normally, industrial lift trucks are powered by an internal gasoline engine running on propane or diesel fuel.
There are several smaller industrial lift truck models that use an electric motor running off an internal battery. As the name implies, rough terrain forklifts are designed to run on unpaved and rough surfaces. Usually, they are the great choice for construction and military applications. Rough terrain lift trucks normally have large pneumatic tires which are normally powered by internal industrial engines which run on diesel or propane fuel. These forklift units could have a telescoping boom, capable of lifting cargo up and out from the equipment's base or they could use a vertical tower, that is responsible for carrying cargo straight up.
The rough terrain lift truck emerged during the year 1946, after a 2 pronged lift attachment was attached to a tractor chassis or a power buggy. This initial machinery was utilized around construction sites and could lift to a height of 30 inches or 76 centimeters and had a lifting capacity can lift 1000 pounds or 454 kg. Vertical tower forklifts were rapidly developed for industrial use and rough terrain forklifts became famous too. By the time the 1950s came around, there were units available which can lift up to heights of 9 meters or 30 feet and had lift capacities of 1135 kg or 2500 lbs.
In the year 1958, the first 4-wheel drive rough terrain lift truck was introduced with a capacity of 6000 lbs. or 2724 kg and had a lift height of 22.5 feet or 7 meters or 3000 lbs. or 1362 kg and 11 meters or 35 feet. The first telescoping boom rough terrain forklift emerged on the market in 1962. This specific unit allowed loads to be positioned out from the machine's base both below and above grade.