The forklift is a mobile machinery which utilizes 2 prongs or forks to lift and place loads into positions which would be usually hard to reach. Normally, lift trucks fall into 2 major categories: rough-terrain and industrial.
Most commonly, industrial forklifts are used around train loading docks and truck loading docks along with in warehouse operations. These machines have smaller tires that are engineered to run on paved surfaces. Normally, industrial forklifts are powered by an internal gasoline engine running on propane or diesel fuel.
There are some smaller industrial lift truck models that use an electric motor running off an internal battery. As the name implies, rough terrain lift trucks are engineered to run on rough and unpaved surfaces. Commonly, they are the great choice for construction and military applications. Rough terrain forklifts usually have large pneumatic tires that are usually powered by internal industrial engines which run on diesel or propane fuel. These lift truck units can have a telescoping boom, which can lift loads up and out from the base of the equipment or they could use a vertical tower, that is responsible for carrying loads straight up.
In 1946, the rough terrain lift truck emerged as a 2 pronged lift attachment was placed on a tractor chassis or a power buggy. This initial machine was utilized around construction sites and was able to lift to a height of 30 inches or 76 centimeters and had a lifting capacity can carry 454 kg or 1000 pounds. Vertical tower forklifts were rapidly developed for industrial application and rough terrain forklifts became famous as well. By the time the 1950s came around, there were available units that can lift up to heights of 9 meters or 30 feet and had lift capacities of 2500 pounds or 1135 kg.
In the year 1958, the first 4-wheel drive rough terrain forklift was introduced with a capacity of 6000 lbs. or 2724 kg and had a lift height of 7 meters or 22.5 feet or 1362 kg or 3000 lbs. and 35 feet or 11 meters. The first telescoping boom rough terrain lift truck emerged on the market during 1962. This particular unit allowed cargo to be placed out from the base of the machinery both above and below grade.