High speed automated feeding system and methods of using the same

A system for separating and feeding packaged items, comprising:

• a. an upstream feeder magazine having a track for advancing a row of individually packaged items to a picking station disposed downstream of the feeder magazine, and
• b. said picking station operable to perform a picking operation which removes said individually packaged items individually from said row of individually packaged items in said feeder magazine, said picking station comprising:
• i. a stop tab operable to hold a leading individually packaged item in said feeder magazine,
• ii. a picking mechanism operable to remove said leading individually packaged item from said feeder magazine and deliver said leading individually packaged item to a downstream location,
• wherein said system is operable to perform said picking operation in repetition to separate and deliver said individually packaged items individually to said downstream location.

A system for separating and feeding items individually, comprising:

• a. an upstream feeder magazine having a track through which a row of pre-packaged items are advanced toward a picking station disposed downstream of the feeder magazine;
• and
• b. said picking station operable to perform a picking operation which removes said pre-packaged items one at a time from said feeder magazine, said picking station comprising:
• i. an arresting mechanism for preventing the advancement of the row of pre-packaged items in said feeder magazine, and
• ii. a stop tab operable to hold a leading pre-packaged item in said feeder magazine,
• wherein said system is operable to perform said picking operation in repetition to separate said pre-packaged items from one another and deliver them individually to a downstream location.

A system for separating and feeding items individually, comprising:

• a. a picking station operable to perform a picking operation which removes items from a queue of a plurality of items one at a time, said picking station disposed downstream of said queue and comprising:
• i. an arresting mechanism for preventing advancement of the items in said queue,
• ii. a stop tab operable to hold a leading item in said queue, and
• iii. a picking mechanism operable to remove the leading item from said queue and deliver said leading item to a downstream location.