Abstract: A compressed air operated dispenser for separating and dispensing small helical coil springs or other small elongate workpieces comprises a trough providing a dispensing chamber into which the workpieces can be introduced to form a loosely packed bed in the bottom part thereof. An air supply mechanism effects blowing jets of compressed air intermittently, in a downwards direction, into the bottom part adjacent one side of the trough such that the compressed air is caused to sweep over the interior bottom surface by which it is deflected into an upwardly directed airstream adjacent the opposite side, thereby creating turbulence effective to agitate and carry upwards at least some of the workpieces to outlet apertures disposed in the upper part of the trough in the path of the upwardly directed airstream.