Fork Rotators Spin Loads Round and Round

A forklift attachment frequently used in the agricultural and food industries is the fork rotator, which can spin the forks 360 degrees in either direction.

Fork rotators are used when the forklift driver needs to rotate the forks, or the turn the load of palletized containers, boxes, drums, or whatever else they are carrying. There are a number of useful benefits for this action ability.

For example, if the operator is carrying a bin filled with liquid, pellets, or other materials, the fork rotator can invert or dump the load to either side.

Fork rotators also can be used to pick up and spin barrels, palletized kegs, and other materials that need to be frequently inverted in order to retain freshness or reduce spoilage. This is common in the food industry, where many of the products being handled are perishable.

Most fork rotators feature a large visibility window that allows the operator to maintain continual visual contact with the fork tips.

Types of Fork Rotators

The term “fork rotator” actually describes a wide variety of forklift attachments that do a number of different things.

For example, there are fork rotators that allow operators to quickly dump or invert a load. This can be useful whenever loose items are being handled, such as in manufacturing or food production. With these type of food rotators, the forks immediately return to the pick-up position automatically so the operator can lift the next load.

These types of fork rotators are commonly used in food processing, automotive manufacturing, chemical processing, recycling operations, smelting and casting operations, and general manufacturing.

Then there are bin retainers, a type of fork rotator that is common in the agricultural industry. Bin retainers hold plastic and wooden bins securely during rotation, which improves bin inverting and dumping versatility.

Hydraulic Bin Retainers

A hydraulic bin retainer is designed to handle a wide variety of bin sizes without causing damage to the bin. The same hydraulic bin retainer fork rotator can be used to handle plastic, wood, metal, and other types of materials without having to change out the attachment or even make any changes to the forks.

Hydraulic bin retainers are commonly used in the produce industry, especially for handling things like grapes, nuts, seeds, apples, potatoes, and other delicate food products.

It’s also widely used in industry, especially those that handle steel bins carrying scrap metal and paper waste. The bin retainer firmly holds bins on the forks, preventing slippage, damage, and waste when the bins are rotated.