$('#button').click(function(e) {
    timer = setInterval("start()", 2000);
    item = 0;
    max = 2;
    return false;
});

// fake click the button
$('#button').trigger('click');

function start() {
    (item > max) ? item = 0 : null;

    switch(item) {
        case 0:
            // animate here
            item++;
        case 1:
            // animate here
            item++;
        case 2:
            // animate here
            item++;
        break;
    }

}