The lift truck is a mobile equipment which uses 2 prongs or forks to lift and place loads into positions that will be normally difficult to reach. Normally, lift trucks fall into 2 main categories: rough-terrain and industrial.
Most often, industrial forklifts are used around train loading docks and truck loading docks as well as in warehouse operations. These equipment have smaller tires which are engineered to run on smooth surfaces. Usually, industrial forklifts are powered by an internal gasoline engine running on propane or diesel fuel.
Smaller forklifts may run off an internal battery charging an electric motor. And as the name implies, the rough terrain lift truck is designed to be operated on rough and unpaved surfaces. Commonly, they are the great option for military and construction applications. Rough terrain forklifts normally have big pneumatic tires that are normally powered by internal industrial engines that run on diesel or propane fuel. These lift truck models can have a telescoping boom, capable of carrying loads up and out from the machine's base or they can use a vertical tower, which is responsible for carrying loads straight up.
In the year 1946, the rough terrain lift truck emerged as a 2 pronged lift attachment was placed on a tractor chassis or a power buggy. This first machinery was used around construction locations and can raise to a height of 30 inches or 76 centimeters and had a lifting capacity could lift 454 kg or 1000 pounds. Vertical tower forklifts were quickly developed for industrial use and rough terrain lift trucks became famous too. By the time the 1950s came around, there were available models that can raise up to heights of 9 meters or 30 feet and had lift capacities of 1135 kg or 2500 pounds.
In 1958, the first 4-wheel drive rough terrain forklift was introduced with a capacity of 2724 kg or 6000 lbs. and had a lift height of 22.5 feet or 7 meters or 1362 kg or 3000 lbs. and 11 meters or 35 feet. The very first telescoping boom rough terrain lift truck emerged on the market in the year 1962. This specific model enabled cargo to be positioned out from the equipment's base both below and above grade.