The invention relates to apparatus for determining the position of an automatically displaceable gauge. The apparatus comprises the gauge, a first device for displacing the gauge in the spatial X-direction, a second device for displacing the gauge in a spatial Z-direction, a sensor for identifying the abutment of the gauge on, or the approach thereof to, an article, an at least partly bordered receptacle position, into which the gauge is at least partly insertable by displacing the gauge in the spatial X- and/or Z-direction, and a movable assembly, wherein the receptacle position for the gauge is arranged on the movable assembly.