Abstract: The apparatus acts on a textile fiber band or sliver (2) wound in a sliver can (3) to form primary coils helically aligned about the axis of said can to form superposed secondary coils. A grasping member (2) movable in a vertical direction raises some of said primary coils (4). A supporting member (17) is then moved close to one sliver length (28) descending from the raised coils (4) to arrange said length so that it may be disposed astride of the supporting member itself when said coils (4) are dropped into the can (3). Sliver (2) as a result of the rotation of the supporting roller (20) or as a result of the rotation of the supporting roller (17) to bring the free end (2a) of said sliver close to the supporting member (17). The free end (2a) is engaged between the feed rollers (10, 11) of a textile machine by moving the supporting roller (17) close to said feed rollers or by moving the feed rollers close to each other.