Apparatus and method for storing articles

An apparatus for storing articles, comprising:

• at least one feed line for feeding articles;
• at least two removal lines for removing articles;
• a reservoir interposed between the at least one feed line and the removal lines, the reservoir comprising:
• at least one feed station equipped with a feed transfer device and associated with a respective feed line for feeding articles;
• at least two pickup stations, each equipped with a pickup transfer device and associated with a respective removal line for removing articles;
• a movable support provided with a plurality of receiving seats for receiving articles and configured to move the receiving seats along a closed path passing through the feed station and the pickup stations so that the articles are transferred from the feed line to the movable support by the feed transfer device and the articles are transferred from the movable support to a respective removal line by a respective pickup transfer device;
• wherein the apparatus also comprises a control unit, connected to the transfer devices and configured to drive the transfer devices (2b, 3b, 3′b) according to a predetermined logic as a function of current capacity values of the feed line and of the removal lines so as to vary the number of articles disposed on the movable support in the event of an imbalance between the current capacity of the feed line and the current capacity of the removal lines.