Lift Truck Components in More Detail
There are numerous components which make up a forklift. The lift truck's key parts include the frame of the truck, the engine parts, the overhead guard, the tilt cylinders and the wheels. Additionally, a lift truck consists of various kinds of attachments. All the components making up a forklift are of equal importance since they work together to make the operation of the machine possible. The next paragraphs describe in detail several of the lift truck components.
The Overhead Guard - this guard forms the lift truck's metal roof. It sits over the cab area and protects the machinery operator whilst he or she is sitting and driving. The overhead guard ensures that nothing falling from above onto the truck will harm the operator or damage the controls inside the cab. The overhead guard is integral to the frame assembly on some models.
The Mast - the mast is a vertical assembly made of interlocking rails and mounted either to the front axle or the forklift frame. The mast provides lateral stability and allows the forks to move up and downwards. The interlocking rails could either have rollers or bushings as guides. There are a couple of ways the mast can be operated: chain operated with motive power provided by a hydraulic motor or hydraulically by one or more hydraulic cylinders.
Lift Truck Carriage - The carriage is the component that the forks and various other kinds of attachments are mounted to. Actually, the carriage is directly connected to the hydraulic cylinder and is attached by chains. To be able to allow the forks to be raised and lowered, the carriage could have either bushings or rollers to guide it in the interlocking mast rails.
Load Back Rest - When the carriage is lifted to full height, there is a back rest made of metal which keeps a load from falling backwards. The back rest is either bolted or welded on to the carriage.
Forklift Attachments - a range of attachments could be fixed to the front of the lift truck. The most common attachment is forks. Furthermore, there are rollers, rotators, L-shaped members, pole handlers, roll clamps and and all that. These different types of attachments are really useful for moving various types of loads.