CHAPTER 7
MATERIAL HANDLING AND SHIPMENT
To keep the Navy supplied with the volume of
TYPES OF MATERIALS-HANDLING
EQUIPMENT
material it requires, many types of handling equipment
are selected to haul, unload, store, and issue material.
Learning Objective: Identify and understand
You must remember that whether the job at hand is
t h e p ro p e r u s e o f v a r i o u s m e c h a n i c a l
handling or storing of material, a piece of equipment is
equipments in handling stores.
usually available for the job. Also, remember that any
Descriptions and uses of handling equipment
piece of material-handling equipment is only as
normally found in supply operations are contained in the
efficient as the person operating it.
paragraphs that follow.
Throughout your naval career as an SK, your job
may be operating material-handling equipment or
FORKLIFT TRUCK
supervising an operation that uses the equipment.
The forklift truck is the most widely used power
Therefore, you should be familiar with the types of
driven piece of handling equipment used by the supply
material-handling equipment commonly used at naval
department. It is designed to pickup, carry, and stack
activities. Storage and Material-Handling, DOD
palletized unit loads of supplies and equipment.
4145.19-R-1, chapter 4, and Naval Ships' Technical
Standard forklift trucks are available with lifting
capacities of 2,000 to 15,000 pounds and lifting heights
Manual, chapter 572; Storage and Material Handling,
of 100 to 210 inches.
NAVSUP P-284, give detailed information on this
topic.
Forklift trucks are equipped with telescopic masts
that permit loads to be lifted beyond the height of the
Material handling is the lifting and shifting of
collapsed mast. Most trucks have free lift, which is the
materials up, down, or sideways. In other words, it
height to which the forks can be raised before the inner
means the movement of material other than by a
slides move upward from the mast and increase the
common carrier. We constantly move material for
overall height.
processing in receiving, storage, packing, and shipping
Gasoline-powered forklift trucks may be equipped
areas. In the process of moving material, a piece of
with solid rubber or semisolid tires for use in
equipment is usually available for the handling of that
warehouses, or with pneumatic tires for use in outdoor
storage areas. Electric-powered forklift trucks are
material.
equipped with solid rubber or semisolid tires for indoor
When assigned, you can be the material-handling
operations only.
equipment operator or supervisor of the operation.
Forklift trucks are commonly used for handling
Therefore, you must become familiar with the types of
palletized unit loads. They are also used for hauling
material-handling equipment used in the Navy. The
boxes or containers equipped with skids and large rigid
Navy uses a variety of material-handling equipment.
containers or packages. Forklift trucks are used aboard
The following text contains descriptions of the
ship, on barges, on piers, in warehouses, in freight
terminals, and on the ground to lift heavy containers. In
equipment and information about its use.
unpaved yards or storage areas not covered with hard
NOTE: The information presented here is not a
surfaces, the trucks must have pneumatic tires to
complete training guide for the use of
operate efficiently.
material-handling equipment. Its purpose is to give
Occasionally, forklift trucks are used in place of
you the basic knowledge about the equipment. You
tractors. Forklift trucks are more efficient if used for
must get proper training and licensing before operating
elevating palletized loads into storage and for handling
any material-handling equipment.
palletized loads between hauling operations. You
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