Apparatus and method for grouping oblong, preferably metallic products

Apparatus to group together oblong products, preferably metal, comprising a sliding plane inclined with respect to a vertical plane, said sliding plane having a first portion configured to receive a plurality of said oblong products, and to allow them to slide by gravity in a direction of sliding transverse to the longitudinal development of said oblong products, movable retaining elements being provided on said sliding plane, wherein said sliding plane is provided with a step-like discontinuity cooperating with said retaining elements, in which said retaining elements are sliding along a second portion of said sliding plane, disposed downstream said step-like discontinuity, in said direction of sliding to define, on each occasion with said step-like discontinuity, a zone for the temporary stacking of said oblong products that fall inside said step-like discontinuity, wherein a depth of the step-like discontinuity is defined by the difference in height between the first portion of the sliding plane and the second portion of said sliding plane.