Abstract: A reverse vending machine provides for the separation, counting and crushing of beverage containers of a predetermined size range and composition. The machine includes an in-feed station for receiving multiple, disarrayed containers, an on-load station, and an in-feed conveyor operable to transport multiple, disarrayed containers from the in-feed station to the on-load station. A separator/conveyor is provided for separating, singularly, a container from the disarrayed containers, and for transporting a container so separated from the on-load station to the off-load station. Mechanisms are provided to reject unacceptable containers between the on-load station and the off-load station. A counter is provided for counting the number of acceptable containers. The containers pass into a crusher which reduces the volume of the containers. A receipt printer is provided to print a receipt indicating the number of acceptable containers processed by the machine. A microprocessor coordinates machine operating cycles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the selective sorting, separating and redemption-handling of redeemable food containers, such as beverage containers. The apparatus includes a weighing station to determine that received containers are empty, and a reading station for reading coded markings (indicia) on containers to determine information such as: authorized redeemability, product brand, and product distribution source. A digital computer monitors data acquired from "reading" operations, controls redemption processing and generates "management" records which are usable by customers to obtain redemption refunds, and by the store (associated with the apparatus) to facilitate accounting with the appropriate distributors, according to product brands.

Abstract: A redeemable carbonated beverage can on the lid of which there is provided a pair of spaced, redundant, arcuately distributed code patches containing regional redemption information. The code patches are read by a scanning laser beam. These patches may be formed in several different ways, as by impressing them, embossing them, or printing them. Information in the patches may be coded in any convenient manner, as, for example, in a binary-type code or in a frequency-type code.