Abstract: A buffer assembly is configured to buffer a stream of articles moving along a conveyor. The buffer assembly is interposed in said conveyor. The buffer assembly comprises a horizontal in-feed accumulator that is configured to receive the stream of articles from said conveyor, and a horizontal mass storage accumulator connected to an output of the horizontal in-feed accumulator for receiving said stream of articles therefrom. Each of the horizontal in-feed accumulator and the horizontal mass storage accumulator are configured to buffer said stream of articles. The buffer assembly also comprises a horizontal out-feed accumulator connected to the output of the horizontal mass storage accumulator that is configured to buffer the stream of articles. The in-feed buffering the articles prevents product compression and the buffering of the out-feed articles prevents the formation of gaps between product articles.