I Don't Sell Forklifts-But I'm Asked All the Time About....

FORK LIFT TRUCK

A fork lift truck is a small motorized vehicle typically used in a manufacturing concern, loading dock, retail store or other operation where movement of goods or supplies is needed. Usually there is a confined space involved, although a fork lift truck can also be used outdoors in logging or mill operations.

The concept of the forklift was first developed in the 1920’s by Clark Material Handling Company and Yale & Towne Materials Handling Company. Today it is generally considered to be an indispensable piece of equipment in any warehousing or manufacturing concern.

A number of different designs and types of the fork lift truck have been designed over the years, to suit one specific purpose or another, but generally there is two different types of unit. It is either powered by an internal combustion engine fueled by LPG, diesel or gasoline, or it is powered by an electric motor with battery or fuel cells.

In addition to the power unit, a fork lift truck consists of the truck body which is propelled by either tracks or wheels, depending on the use. The mast is the part of the lift truck which does the actual lifting. The vertical assembly which raises and lowers the forks is usually hydraulically operated. The carriage is attached to the mast and is a flat metal plate moving up and down the mast as needed to position the forks. The L-shaped forks attached to the carriage on the short leg either with a hook, clasp or sometimes they are shaft mounted.

Safety features include a load back rest which prevents the load from falling onto the cab when the load is lifted and tilted to the rear before moving. The cab is protected by a steel cage for safety and contains the controls. Most, but not all fork lift trucks are rider-driven. Finally the counterweight on the rear of the fork lift truck is necessary where there is a heavy load on the forks. The battery can serve this function in electric trucks.

In a warehouse setting, a typical fork lift truck will be capable of moving one to five tons, although lift trucks capable of moving 50 ton loads have been used, depending on the application.

The operator of the fork lift truck has the capability to raise and lower the forks, to tilt the mast backward in compensation for the slight downward angle of the forks. Some units have the ability to rotate the tines or to side step the tines to allow for easier load handling. The fork lift thus equipped has some ability to work on uneven ground.

While a skilled operator understands and uses the unique handling characteristics of a fork lift truck, there are safety issues for the inexperienced operator. The entire unit and load must be considered as one whole when moving the load. The center of gravity for the loaded fork truck is low and is constantly changing. When the load is raised, a tight turn can result in a serious roll-over mishap.