Confessed by a divergency of names, a telescopic handler; or telehandler; or like extendible reach forklift, is a engine widely used in agriculture and industry. It is corresponding in appearance and function to a forklift but is more a crane than the former, with the increased versatility of a single telescopic boom that can extend forwards and upwards from the vehicle. On the end of the boom the operator can fit one of several attachments, close as a bucket, tip skip, road brush, or lift entree.
Pioneered by the Matbro company at Horley in Surrey, England, who developed them from their articulated petulant - country forestry forklifts, these particular machines have become the short halt of a masonry contractor ' s job site, expected to handgrip a variance
of tasks that miss lifting expanded materials and coming five and stable six stories high. Designed for the type of work involved in phenomenon from construction to landscaping, a telehandler can receipts on both large and small projects with equal ease, as in - line with the type of versatility expected from rough terrain forklifts, a telehandler has the qualification to work in small places using a number of different types of attachments that can replace its forks.
Thus, when you need a mobile lifting plant complete with a lifting attachment, a telehandler is just the tool for the job. It has the advantage of being able to lift weights higher while allowing the operator good control and machine balance. This, and the fact that visibility to the forks is better, results in an increased safety factor in the work place.
Furthermore flexibility is another advantage of the telehandler. Some models give the operator the ability to switch tools quickly, resulting in an overall improvement in productivity on the site. There is also greater flexibility with a telehandler because of the ability to place the load without needing to move the machine, thanks to such features as rotate and side shift carriages.
However, the advantage of the telehandler is also its biggest limitation: as the boom extends or raises while bearing a load, it acts as a lever and causes the vehicle to become increasingly unstable, despite counterweights in the rear. This means that the lifting capacity quickly decreases as the working radius ( distance between the front of the wheels and the centre of the load ) increases.
To combat this, the operator is equipped with a load chart which helps him determine whether a given task is possible, taking into account weight, boom angle and height. For example, it is possible, using this device, to identify that a vehicle with a 5, 000lb capacity with the boom retracted may only be able to safely lift 400lb with it fully extended at a low boom angle, but may, with the boom raised to 70, be able to support as much as 10, 000lb.
Failing this, most telehandlers utilize a computer which uses sensors to monitor the vehicle, and will warn the operator and / or cut off further control input if the limits of the vehicle are exceeded. Some machines are also equipped with front outriggers and can be called mobile cranes, which extend the lifting capability of the equipment while stationary.
This is particularly useful when operating with increasingly powerful designs of the telehandler: gone are the days when a 3 ton telehandler with a 36 - foot reach was a mason ' s heavyweight, lifting powerhouse. Recently, more contractors are renting and buying telehandlers with 4 ton lift and 7 17 metre reach capabilities, the like of which we are able to supply, to take care of their needs at the job site.
In short, the telehandler is an extremely useful and productive piece of machinery that offers a relatively inexpensive alternative to using material elevators, whilst simultaneously saving contractors from having to deal with many of the issues prevalent when using a material hoist. Couple this with the characteristics of flexibility, mobility and versatility outlined above and it becomes clear that the telehandler is the most suitable piece of machinery for mobility based jobs on the work site.
