Air pulse feeder

A method for dispensing items from a plurality of items;

• said method comprising:
• A. providing at least one container;
• said at least one container having:
• 1) at least one support surface for supporting said plurality of items;
• 2) an upper portion with at least one opening for receiving said plurality of items;
• 3) a lower portion with at least one open passageway for dispensing items from said plurality of items;
• 4) at least one guide surface for directing items of said plurality of items into said at least one open passageway;
• B. providing items on said support surface of said container;
• C. providing sufficient volume of available fluid outside said at least one open passageway and outside said at least one container to fill the vacuum generated inside the container;
• D. generating pulses of vacuum that draw pulses of fluid into said at least one container through said open passageway;
• and
• E. allowing at least one item of said plurality of items to pass into said at least one open passageway subsequent to said at least one pulse of vacuum.

A method for orienting disoriented items, the items each having first, second, and third item dimensions, each of the first, second, and third item dimensions being perpendicular with respect to one another, and wherein the first item dimension is less than or equal to the second item dimension, and the second item dimension is less than the third item dimension, the method comprising:

• providing a container having a support surface, said container having an open passageway in a lower portion thereof for dispensing items from the container;
• providing a plurality of items in said container on said support surface;
• sizing said open passageway to provide a first passageway dimension greater than the first item dimension, and to provide a second passageway dimension greater than the second item dimension and less than the third item dimension;
• delivering an pulse of pressurized fluid through said open passageway into said container against the items sufficient to lift the items from said support surface and to agitate the items;
• allowing the items to fall downwardly towards said elongated open passageway upon termination of said pulse of pressurized fluid;
• directing at least one of the plurality of items through said open passageway upon termination of said pulse of pressurized fluid, such that said at least one item passes through said open passageway with the first item dimension of the item being aligned with said first passageway dimension and said second item dimension being aligned with the second passageway dimension.