Forklift Components in More Detail
There are hundreds of parts which make up a forklift. The lift truck's major parts include the frame of the truck, the engine parts, the tilt cylinders, the overhead guard and the wheels. Additionally, a forklift has various kinds of attachments. All the components which make up a lift truck are all essential since they work together to make the machine's operation possible. The following paragraphs describe in detail some of the forklift 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 she or he is sitting and driving. The overhead guard makes sure that nothing falling from above onto the truck will injure the operator or damage the controls inside the cab. The overhead guard is essential to the frame assembly on several units.
The Mast - Mounted either to the forklift frame or the front axle, the mast is the vertical forklift component made of interlocking rails. The mast enables the forks to move upwards and downwards whilst providing lateral stability. The interlocking rails may either have rollers or bushings as guides. There are two ways the mast could be operated: hydraulically by one or more hydraulic cylinders or chain operated with motive power provided by a hydraulic motor.
Lift Truck Carriage - the forks and different other types of attachments are mounted to the carriage. The carriage is connected to the mast directly to the hydraulic cylinder or it is attached by chains. In order to allow the forks to be lowered and raised, the carriage could have either bushings or rollers to guide it in the interlocking mast rails.
Load Back Rest - a back rest is a metal rack which keeps a load from falling backwards while the carriage is raised to its full height. The back rest is either bolted or welded on to the carriage.
Forklift Attachments - There are numerous types of attachments which can be fixed directly to the lift truck's carriage. Forks are the most common kind of attachment. In addition, there are rollers, rotators, L-shaped members, roll clamps, pole handlers and and all that. These different attachments are very helpful for transporting various types of loads.