Fork lift truck

[Chancer]

Is there a proper noun or technical term in French for the above rather than using the familiar "un fenwick"?

The same question for "un Manitou"

And almost the opposite question, what would we call "un Manitou" in the English language? Articulated loader perhaps?"

No French person yet has been able to give me the proper noun for the above yet " une transpallete" doesnt seem to go under any other name

[herbert]

Hello Chancer

there will possibly be some words that might help you.

Good luck

Herbert

http://www.mining-technology.com/contractors/transportation/manitou2/

[Anton Redman]

Manitou is Canadien French for a wood spirit it is also like JCB a brand name

[BJSLIV]

Un chariot élévateur

[powerdesal]

Our storeman ( French ) always refers to the fork lift as a 'manitou', I suspect its a generic term like using Karcher for any pressure washer.

[Cat]

As powerdesal says, my neighbour also always refers to his as a manitou.

Rather like calling a vacuum cleaner a hoover.

[Chancer]

But there is the rub, Fenwick make what we would call fork lift trucks, the type used in loading bays etc. With solid wheels and no suspension they can only be used on very smooth surfaces

Manitou make much bigger construction equipment typically used on farms and building sites, they are a multi-use elevateur but have huge wheels and articulated suspension to cope with the rough terrain, they are also what you would see in a breakers yard for stacking the cars. 

I hear lots of people calling a Manitou a Fenwick and vice versa hence I wanted the proper noun, I was aware that they both were trade names which is why I used a capital letter.

So chariot élévateur sounds good for un Fenwick and I guess that tractor elevateur should work for un Manitou, I still wouldnt know what to call a Manitou in English other than a Fiat Allis which rather defeats the object!

Thank you all for your help.

[gosub]

FORKLIFT

Manitou - Telehandler

[Pierre ZFP]

Just to muddy the waters a little, I remember the Manitou type thing referred to as a 'Tele Loader' (or in Frence, presumably a 'Télé Loader) or is this a more specific kind of machine?

[powerdesal]

Tele loaders / tele handlers are really not fork lift trucks in the normally accepted sense.

They are extending boom units with a horizontal reach. Yes, they may be fitted with forks but equally can have a man basket or a bucket.

Fork lift trucks of course come in various sizes / configurations from the little electric warehouse ones to the large rough terrain diesel ones through a range of sizes, fuels and lift ranges. Strictly they are really only vertical lift units.

Calling all fork lifts a manitou is analogous to calling all diggers JCBs, they may not be manufactured by either Manitou or JCB, neither are all pressure washers made by Karcher nor all vacuum cleaners made by Hoover, but everyone knows what you mean.

[Chancer]

Actually Gosubs link brings up the most specific - Chariot élévateur à forches.

[Chancer]

[quote user="powerdesal"]Calling all fork lifts a manitou is analogous to calling all diggers JCBs, they may not be manufactured by either Manitou or JCB, neither are all pressure washers made by Karcher nor all vacuum cleaners made by Hoover, but everyone knows what you mean.
[/quote]

But therein is the problem.

I need to borrow a fork lift truck, I cannot use a big Manitou (with tractor tyres etc) as the access is severely restricted, if I ask for a Manitou because everyone thinks they know what I mean I could end up with a fork lift truck or a big **** off piece of construction machinery which wont do the job.

It is complicated because instead of dealing with people who know their trade I am having to bargain with security guards, gate keepers, nightshift foremen and/or (I know not the name) those wheelers and dealers in the large factory opposite that can get things done via their network of contacts. The job will be carried out in the dead of night [:)]

Just to muddy the waters further when I did a foray into occupied territory (La Dordogne) I passed through and industrial area dedicated to élévateurs and big construction machinery, there were resellers, hirers, contractors, hydraulic companies etc, nearly all of the signs said Fenwick (I remember because I had to ask someone after not finding it in the dictionary) despite there being all manner of manufacturers, mainly Japanese, I never saw the word Manitou written although there were plenty of what I would term Manitous in existence.

If I asked someone to go out and buy a hoover for me and they returned with a vacuum cleaner that would be OK but if they returned with a Dyson then I woud be p1ssed [:@]

Isnt language a wonderfull thing!

[dave21478]

The terms I use. Not necessarily the right" terms, but I usually come away from the plant-hire place with the right thing!

a "Telescopique", sometimes called a "telechargeur"

[img]http://photos.net-truck.com/photos/173914090608d12.jpg[/img]

an "elevateur" or sometimes "elevateur electric" although they obviously come in other fuel types. - how not to use one!

[IMG]http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc297/dave21478/short/forklift-lifting-a-forkliftSmall.gif[/IMG]

A "tractopelle" or sometimes a "pelle retro"...other brands are available!

[img]http://www.freefoto.com/images/21/09/21_09_6---JCB-Digger_web.jpg[/img]

[Chancer]

Its good to have the photos Dave, - I like the second one!

In my area they would be genarally be referred to as "un Manituo", "un Fenwick" and "un Jessehbeh"! [;-)]