COMPUTING PALLET REQUIREMENTS.-

The measurements of a standard pallet is 40 x 48 inches. Allowing for overhang (roughly 25 percent), the square feet occupied by each pallet is approximately 16(4 ft x 4 ft). If procedures permit stacking of four pallets high, four pallets are required for each 16 square feet of net usable storage space. The formula for determining pallet requirements is as follows:

FORMULA:

Explanation of symbols:

S- Net covered storage area, (in SQ FT) used for bulk storage.

H-Average stacking height expressed in pallet course (pallet loads).

D-Square feet of floor area occupied by pallet size with 25 percent added to compensate for load overhang and clearance.

R-Quantity of pallets required.

For an example, compute the pallet requirements for 59,500 feet of usable floor spare with stacking height of four pallets. The computation is as follows:

Figure 2-9.-Forklift trucks. 2-26

Forklift Trucks

Forklift trucks (fig. 2-9) are vehicles designed to pick up and carry unit loads of materials. The types of forklift trucks commonly used by the AKs are discussed in the following paragraphs.

COUNTERBALANCED TRUCKS.- TMS type of truck (fig. 2-9) carries the pallet load straight in front on permanently aligned forks. These trucks must turn at right angles to place the material in storage. They require wide aisles and substantial floor capacity. They are available in electric or internal combustion models.

NARROW-AISLE TRUCKS.- These trucks are in three categories; the straddle, reach, and side-loading truck (figure 2-9). In straddle trucks, the load is carried between the front outrigger wheels to minimize the need for counterbalancing. Straddle forklift trucks are also known as tiering trucks. The reach truck is a variation of straddle or tiering truck. It is commonly used in shore activities. It is more maneuverable than the standard forklift trucks and can generally operate in narrow aisles.

Side-loading trucks normally operate to one side of the aisle and place the load laterally. These trucks come in various designs. Some travel along the length of the aisles with permanently located masts, equipped with a reach device to move the forks out from the side. Some types have moving masts that add to the extension capability and permit double placement of the load. Other types have a rotating or swing mast that can reach out to the side. These types of trucks are also known as

front/side loaders.

Dollies

A dolly is a small, low platform load carrier that is generally equipped with rollers, casters, or wheels. Dollies are hand propelled (do not have handles) and are used for low-volume moves over short distances.

Hand Trucks

The types of hand trucks are the two-wheel and four- or six- wheel platform.

TWO-WHEEL HAND TRUCKS.- Two-wheel hand trucks are designed for tilt and carry operation. They are generally used for moving small volume and lightweight items over variable paths and limited space.

HANDLIFT TRUCK, MK 45.- This is a special type of hand truck that is used for lifting and maneuvering long heavy containers. They are used in pairs with one truck positioned at each end of the container. The AKs may use this type of truck for moving some types of aircraft engine containers such as an F404 engine container. This truck consists of an aluminum body, a tow bar, and a lift mechanism It is equipped with two wheels and polyurethane tires. The lift mechanism includes a lift arm and a mounting pin for engaging the load. The lift mechanism is manually operated by a reversible ratchet wrench to raise or lower the lift arm assembly. (See figure 2-10 for an illustration of handlift truck, Mk 45.) When used on board ship, this equipment is usually under the inventory responsibility of the weapons department.

FOUR-WHEEL HAND TRUCKS.- The four-wheel hand trucks are rectangular load-carrying platforms fitted with a handle at one or both ends. Some types are equipped with two swivel casters located at the comers of the platform. Other models have two large wheels centered on the sides and two smaller wheels centered on the ends. The four-wheel hand trucks are used for moving low volume and light loads for short distances.