Compliant link

Apparatus for the mechanical registration of a flat workpiece on a flat work surface carrying means defining a registration corner for receiving a corresponding corner of said workpiece, said apparatus comprising

• displacement means supported above said work surface for providing displacement in a direction toward said corner,
• an upper plate connected to said displacement means,
• a lower plate under the upper plate,
• sliding means for allowing said upper and lower plates to slide relative to each other laterally along orthogonal axes and rotationally,
• orientation means for causing said plates to attract each other in a particular orientation to resiliently resist relative lateral and rotational displacements of said plates,
• a workpiece holder connected to said lower plate for engaging said workpiece under said lower plate and above said work surface,
• said displacement means causing displacement of said upper plate, lower plate, workpiece holder and workpiece toward said corner, said sliding means and orientation means permitting three degrees of freedom of resilient movement of said workpiece with respect to said displacement means after initial contact of said workpiece with said means defining a registration corner, permitting registration with said registration corner.