Apparatus and method to store bars

Apparatus to store bars, supplied to said apparatus in the form of a bundle, said apparatus comprising a support plane, a bundle feed zone and a bar delivery zone associated with respective opposite ends of said support plane, wherein said support plane comprises a movement unit to move said bars in a direction of movement at least from said bundle feed zone to said bar delivery zone, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of containing and translation units disposed adjacent to each other with respect to said direction of movement, wherein each containing and translation unit comprises:

• at least two containing elements distanced and aligned in a longitudinal direction, transverse to said direction of movement, coordinated with each other and selectively movable in order to pass at least from one containing position, in which they are positioned below said support plane and are suitable to support a bundle of bars, to at least one release position, in which they are positioned above said support plane in order to release said bars onto said support plane,
• at least two movement devices associated with said containing elements and aligned in said longitudinal direction, being coordinated with each other in order to pass at least from one lowered condition, in which they are substantially parallel to said support plane and allow the movement of said bars, to at least one raised condition in which they are raised in order to allow access to the respective containing elements;
• wherein said movement devices are separate from the respective containing elements, and wherein said movement devices are mobile independently of said respective containing elements in order to independently pass respectively from said lowered condition to said raised condition, and from said containing position to said release position.