#813: Inkognito

If you have printed material which needs to be kept very secret then storing it in a lockable cabinet is of only limited use. Occasionally, for example, an embassy will need to store printed documents which, in the event of a revolution or some other storming of the building, require to be destroyed.

Forming them all into an effective bonfire is surprisingly difficult, especially at very short notice. Shredding such big volumes is just impossible. Today’s invention is a system to address this issue which can be attached inside a normal filing cabinet or cupboard.

In the event of a threatened takeover, embassy staff would press a button on the back of each cabinet which would cause the contents of a tank of solvent inside it to be sprayed into the drawers. (alcohol would be a reasonable fluid to use, although benzene or petrol might be quicker).

A tray at the bottom would collect the residue and allow it to be returned to the tank for another spray cycle. This would make all the ink run and thus be indecipherable within seconds.