Crane forks are used in conjunction with a crane or other lifting machine to lift palletised loads of the type that are more usually lifted with a forklift truck. They are used in situations where a fork lift truck is not practical, for example where the terrain precludes the use of a forklift truck or where the height of lift and / or lateral movement required is not achievable with a forklift truck. They are sometimes known by the alternative name of a loading fork.
They are available in a range of lifting capacities. Standard models are available up to a capacity of approximately 5 tonnes and bespoke designs can be manufactured to handle virtually any weight of load. Most designs incorporate a method of levelling the load by either manual or automatic adjustment mechanisms or balance weights.