I wondered about that too. The "one word question", that is.
The other machine I believe was actually an Asian made piece by Pharaohsan or Pharaohsin or something like that
Did you mean mechanic or machine?
If it was machine, Gotta be somthin from Egypt....2000 years ago...what was that machine called that lifted the pyramids?
1917, Clark, USA
1919, Towmotor, USA
1920, Yale & Towne, USA
These dates reflect when machines were first built and sold to the public. There may have been earlier precursors that led to the development of actual fork lift trucks that were not marketed.