Apparatus for transferring and accumulating objects and packaging line comprising said apparatus

An apparatus for transferring and accumulating objects, comprising:

• at least a first group and a second group of accumulation channels parallel to each other, each accumulation channel having an elongated extension along a direction parallel to an accumulation direction between a loading end and an unloading end of objects, the accumulation channels of the first group having the loading ends aligned with each other, the accumulation channels of the second group having the loading ends aligned with each other;
• and
• at least a first and a second transfer device for transferring objects to said accumulation channels, said first transfer device being configured to transfer objects only to accumulation channels of the first group, said second transfer device being configured to transfer objects only to accumulation channels of the second group, said first transfer device and said second transfer device receiving objects in an alternating manner,
• wherein the loading ends of the accumulation channels of the first group are misaligned with respect to the loading ends of the accumulation channels of the second group, and
• wherein the accumulation channels of the first group have the unloading ends aligned with each other and the accumulation channels of the second group have the unloading ends aligned with each other, said unloading ends of the accumulation channels of the first group being misaligned with respect to the unloading ends of the accumulation channels of the second group.