ForkLiftMuseum:
It was not clear from your post why you chose 1947 as the representative year for the early Ross Forklift Trucks. Ross was building these
trucks during WW2 and I will assume that your grandfather was working with the company during this time period. The company was later acquired by Clark.
During and after the war, Ross built three models of the Forklift Truck, IIRC. The models were the 15HT (14000lbs lifting capacity),
the 18HT (10,000lbs lift capacity) and the 19HT (6000lbs lift capacity). These lifts were based on a height of not more than 26 inches.
These rating were very conservation, I have seen the 15HT handle more than 16000lbs without any problems. They were of solid construction
and very simple to maintain. I saw my first Ross Forklift truck (15HT) in 1972 at a friend's shop in Tucson. It featured power steering
by "armstrong" and mechanical brakes, also by "armstrong". It had three speeds forward and three in reverse and would do seventeen miles
an hour, if you were brave enough to attempt it. Every time I visited my friend, I would drive the Ross. When he shut his business down
in the early 90's, I bought the Ross and moved it to my shop. My business partner named the old forklift Vlad (which is short for Vlad the impaler). At present, I am making some minor repairs, in anticipation of a busy summer loading machinery. My 15HT was shipped on
March 27, 1945, Serial Number: 4326.
Hendeyman
