Abstract: A franking machine includes a printer for impressing postal franks on articles such as letters. The machine further includes a weighing pan coupled to a load cell, a microprocessor operative to respond to the output of the load cell for controlling the operation of the printer, and a keyboard whereby the scale of charges appropriate to an article to be weighed and franked can be entered by the user, the arrangement being such that an article can be weighed, the appropriate value of postal charges calculated by the microprocessor and subsequently franked in the same machine.