Lift trucks are mobile machines which utilize 2 forks or prongs in order to place cargo into positions that will usually be hard to reach. Normally, lift trucks fall into 2 major categories: industrial and rough-terrain.
Industrial lift trucks are most often used around train and truck loading docks in addition to lots of warehouse applications. These machinery have smaller tires that are designed to run on paved surfaces. Normally, industrial lift trucks 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 forklifts are designed to run on rough and unpaved surfaces. Usually, they are the ideal choice for military and construction applications. Rough terrain lift trucks usually have big pneumatic tires which are normally powered by internal industrial engines which run on diesel or propane fuel. These lift truck models can have a telescoping boom, which could lift loads up and out from the base of the equipment or they can utilize a vertical tower, which is responsible for carrying cargo straight up.
The rough terrain lift truck emerged during 1946, after a 2 pronged lift attachment was attached to a tractor chassis or a power buggy. This first equipment was used around construction locations and could lift to a height of 76 cm or 30 inches and had a lifting capacity can lift 1000 pounds or 454 kg. Vertical tower forklifts were rapidly developed for industrial application and rough terrain forklifts became famous too. By the time the 1950s came around, there were models available that could raise up to heights of 30 feet or 9 meters and had lift capacities of 2500 pounds or 1135 kg.
The first 4-wheel drive rough terrain forklift was introduced during 1958. It offered a capacity of 2724 kg or 6000 lbs. and had a lift height of 22.5 feet or 7 meters or 3000 lbs. or 1362 kg and 35 feet or 11 meters. The first telescoping boom rough terrain forklift emerged on the market during 1962. This specific model enabled loads to be placed out from the base of the equipment both above and below grade.