An apparatus for the handling of articles, which handling provides moving the articles from an initial level to a higher or lower final level, with the articles being transferred between at least two devices (03, 04) arranged immediately succeeding one another as viewed in a horizontal conveying direction, the devices (03, 04) being movable relative to one another in a vertical direction, - each device (03, 04) having associated with it an at least vertically movable support surface (30, 40) serving to receive one or more articles; - at least that one device or those more devices (03, 04) from which another device is arranged immediately downstream in a horizontal conveying direction being associated with a transfer apparatus (31, 41) each; - at least one transfer apparatus associated with a first device comprising a pushing bar that is vertically movable together with the support surface associated with the first device as well as horizontally movable at least in and opposite to the conveying direction; - the pushing bar engaging with the one or more articles at the back, in relation to the conveying direction, during the transfer pushing; - at least a part of the pushing bar of the transfer apparatus of the first device, which part of the pushing bar faces toward the second device, and a section of the support surface of the second device, which section of the support surface faces toward the first device, overlapping at least at the end of the transfer pushing; characterised in that the pushing bar in a top view is formed with teeth or prongs protruding from a back part comb-like horizontally toward the second device arranged immediately downstream in conveying direction from the first device, and in that the support surface of the second device has recesses at least at its side facing toward the first device, the recesses corresponding to the teeth or prongs of the comb-shaped pushing bar of the transfer apparatus of the first device, wherein the teeth or prongs dip through the support surface of the second device via the recesses in a vertical relative movement. - each device (03, 04) having associated with it an at least vertically movable support surface (30, 40) serving to receive one or more articles; - at least that one device or those more devices (03, 04) from which another device is arranged immediately downstream in a horizontal conveying direction being associated with a transfer apparatus (31, 41) each; - at least one transfer apparatus associated with a first device comprising a pushing bar that is vertically movable together with the support surface associated with the first device as well as horizontally movable at least in and opposite to the conveying direction; - the pushing bar engaging with the one or more articles at the back, in relation to the conveying direction, during the transfer pushing; - at least a part of the pushing bar of the transfer apparatus of the first device, which part of the pushing bar faces toward the second device, and a section of the support surface of the second device, which section of the support surface faces toward the first device, overlapping at least at the end of the transfer pushing;