Lift trucks are utilized to raise, engage and transfer palletized loads in warehousing, manufacturing, material handling, construction and mining applications. There are 3 main types of lift trucks: a fork truck, manual drive and motorized drive. The load movement or travel is powered manually or by walking behind the machinery with manual-drive forklifts.
The motorized forklift models come equipped with a motorized drive and in a lot of cases have a seat or protected cab in their design in order to keep the operator safe and comfortable. Fork trucks are a different kind that are motorized and comprise features like cabs and backup alarms. In order to prevent the machinery from overturning, some forklifts are counterbalanced. Other models comprise safety rails, a rotating element like a turntable or different types of hand rails.
Essential specifications to take into consideration when choosing forklifts include 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. Additional specifications for forklifts include their type of fuel and tire.
Forklifts consist of different fuel options such as: liquid propane or LPG, compressed natural gas or CNG, propane, diesel fuel, gasoline and natural gas. There are 2 major kinds of tires used for operating fork trucks and forklifts: solid and pneumatic. Solid or cushion tires need less maintenance compared to pneumatic tires and do not puncture. The cushion or solid tires do provide less shock absorption overall. Pneumatic or air-inflated tires on the other hand offer great drive traction and load-cushioning.
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. Normally, rider units may have either cushion or pneumatic wheels and are counterbalanced. Class II forklifts are electric motor units which are used for stock applications or order picking in narrow aisle setting. These models provide extra reach functions or swing mast.
Forklift Class III lift trucks include standing-rider or walk-behind operated electric-motor trucks. Automated pallet lift trucks and high lift models are normally counterbalanced units. Class IV forklifts have seated controls and cabs. These models are rider fork trucks with IC or internal combustion engines. Additionally, this class has solid or cushion tires.
Class V lift trucks are rider fork trucks. They have seated controls and cabs, pneumatic tires and internal combustion or IC engines. Like Class IV lift trucks, they are usually 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 lift trucks are the last classification and include rough terrain forklifts, that are usually used in logging, agricultural and construction applications. Class VII forklifts consist of all employee carriers and burden carriers.