Container handling system

In a system that includes a reverse vending machine for empty liquid containers, such as empty beverage bottles, and a container collection table operatively connected with an outlet from said machine for collecting containers put into said machine by a customer and delivered out from said machine, and the table being provided with an endless conveyor belt with opposite longitudinal sides extending in a longitudinal direction of the table, and the table having two longitudinal surface regions arranged such that one of the longitudinal surface regions is provided alongside one of the longitudinal sides of the conveyor belt, and the other longitudinal surface region is provided alongside the other longitudinal side of the conveyor belt, and the table having a periphery, the improvement comprising a band means extendable across each of the longitudinal surface regions of said table, said band means having opposite end portions and being longitudinally flexible and having an inherent lateral rigidity to permit said band means to be positioned substantially upright laterally with respect to the longitudinal surface regions of the table along the length of said band means, one end of said band means in said laterally upright position being secured to said table proximate one of said longitudinal surface regions, roller means being provided at said other longitudinal surface region for receiving the opposite end portion of the band means in said laterally upright position, actuating means operatively connected with said roller means for winding or unwinding said opposite end portion of said band means onto or from said roller means, said band means having a first extended slack length disposable on said table when said band means is unwound a predetermined amount from said roller means, said roller means reducing the amount of the first extended slack length on said table when said actuating means is actuated to wind the roller means, whereby in a wound mode said band means is wound to take up the slack of the first extended slack length to tension the band means and cause movement of said containers on said table transversely of said table from one of said longitudinal surface regions to the other of said longitudinal surface regions, and whereby in the unwound mode said band means has the first extended slack length on said table to permit gradual movement of said band means to a peripheral portion of said table by engagement of the first extended slack length of said band means with a growing accumulation of containers delivered onto said table from the reverse vending machine.