Franking Machine - A device which is alleged to save money for a business by saving the time and spit of its staff, avoiding the people working for the company having to lick stamps to stick on the post. Unfortunately, because of careless use of such machines, companies often don't save money. Also, as such contrivances obviate postage stamps and so are bad for the business for stamp collectors in the future, present day stamp collectors have been known to spit when referring to the machines in conversation.