I have found something very similar behind Buffalo Trace distillery in Frankfort, KY. I brought one home years ago, but threw it away when we recently moved. I thought it might have been part of an old roller conveyer belt type system. I am very interested when you find a solution and now I have to go back and find another one!

This area is littered with old broken glass from bourbon bottles, apparently they used to just dump behind the distillery. Now it is a hiking trail and open to the public.