Container sorting and handling system

Abstract

A novel container sorting and handling system is provided for sorting a plurality of diverse types of containers into preselected types for either reuse, reclamation or disposal depending upon the type of container. The sorting system comprises a housing having a sorting station defined therein and an infeed conveyor for sequentially and individually transporting containers to the sorting station. At the sorting station the individual containers are rotated by a roller in order to bring the UPC Code, bar code or other code on each container into alignment with an optical scanner at the sorting station. The optical scanner produces an output signal representative of the bar code and this is in turn fed to a computer which compares the signal from the optical scanner with a plurality of prestored values in the computer. As a result of this comparison, the computer generates an output signal representative of the type of container at the sorting station. This output signal from the computer in turn is fed to an indexing mechanism which transports the container in the sorting station to one of a plurality of outfeed conveyors whereby each outfeed conveyor transports a single type of container. The recyclable containers are crushed and/or shredded into a compact mass and transported to a salvage company and/or reclamation center. The computer also provides a signal to an output device which produces a tangible record via coin, receipt or token of the monetary value of the returnable containers processed by the system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.