Forklift Components in More Detail
There are numerous parts which make up a forklift. The forklifts main parts comprise the frame of the truck, the engine parts, the tilt cylinders, the overhead guard and the wheels. Additionally, a lift truck consists of a range of attachments. All the components making up a forklift are of equal importance since they work together to make the machine's operation possible. The next paragraphs describe some of the forklift parts in detail.
The Overhead Guard - this guard forms the lift truck's metal roof. It sits above the cab area and protects the equipment operator while he or she is sitting and driving. The overhead guard ensures that nothing falling from above onto the truck would hurt the operator or damage the controls inside the cab. The overhead guard is vital 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 down. The interlocking rails can either have rollers or bushings as guides. There are a couple of ways the mast may be operated: chain operated with motive power provided by a hydraulic motor or hydraulically by one or more hydraulic cylinders.
Lift Truck Carriage - the forks and different other types of attachments are mounted to the carriage. The carriage is attached to the mast directly to the hydraulic cylinder or it is attached by chains. To be able to enable the forks to be lowered and raised, the carriage can have either rollers or bushings to guide it in the interlocking mast rails.
Load Back Rest - a back rest is a metal rack which prevents a load from falling backwards while the carriage is lifted to its full height. The back rest is either bolted or welded on to the carriage.
Forklift Attachments - a variety of attachments may be fixed to the front of the lift truck. The most common type of attachment is forks. In addition, there are L-shaped members, rollers, rotators, roll clamps, pole handlers and and all that. These various kinds of attachments are handy for transporting various types of loads.