Abstract: A method is provided for temporarily storing a series of successive textile sheets having a length L in an overlapping relationship in a collecting apparatus, including the successive steps of conveying the textile sheets one after another to an inlet of a carrier mechanism, while preventing an uncontrolled relative movement with a neighboring sheet in an overlapping contact area, clamping each textile sheet between the carrier mechanism and cooperating clamping means and conveying the clamped textile sheets along a path to an outlet of the carrier mechanism in successive steps having an adjustable step length d, removing the textile sheets from the collection apparatus at the outlet without disturbing a position of a neighboring sheets and displacing the carrier mechanism by one of translation, rotation and translation combined with rotation around one of a vertical axis and at least one horizontal axis.