Paul Ernest Mary Magès (1908–1999) is known for his invention of the first self-leveling automobile suspension, known as hydro-pneumatic suspension. This system replaced conventional steel springs with an adaptive system of hydraulic struts, resulting in a motoring experience that felt like no other automobile of the era.[1][2]
This suspension achieved its initial design brief: fast travel on poor road surfaces.[3] This advantage is still noted today, especially in applications where ride quality is important, like ambulance design.[4]
His formal schooling was modest. He earned his National diploma (Brevet d'Etudes du Premier Cycle), a preparatory course for the Académie des Arts et Métiers in Marseille. At age 17, he sent his résumé to Citroën, one of the major automobile manufacturers in France, where he was hired to maintain equipment.[5] In 1936 he became a technical draftsman, and in January 1942, CEO Pierre-Jules Boulanger assigned him to the development department to solve problems with braking and suspension systems (including for the Citroën 2CV).[6]
Magès studied published material on automobile suspension. He was puzzled by the conventional wisdom that a supple suspension system was incompatible with good handling. He had been assigned the task of producing a car with both qualities. He realized that the solution must be located in a variable suspension, one that is very flexible at low speed, and stiff at high speed and load.[7]
This questioning led to the eventual development of a hydro-pneumatic suspension system, which combined an easily compressible gas in an enclosed chamber with the non-compressible, force-multiplication properties of hydraulic machinery. In such a system increasing loads produce higher gas pressures, so the suspension becomes more rigid. Magès ultimately concluded that hydraulic fluid under pressure, delivered by an engine driven accessory –- a hydraulic pump – was the best way to achieve the desired result.[8]
Magès may never have been able to solve this problem if he had better technical training. Marcel Pagnol, the French playwright, famously said "Everyone thought it was impossible, except an idiot who did not know and who created it." Magès kept a copy of this statement on his desk.[9]
Magès also developed DIRAVI speed sensitive power steering, first used on the 1970 Citroën SM.[10]
Many current vehicles use air suspension, to gain some of the advantages of hydro-pneumatic suspension, with slightly less perceived complexity, and use new developments in electronics to achieve speed sensitive power steering.
^"Portret van een technisch genie, Paul Magès | Citroen Overig nieuws - Citroën-Forum.nl". www.citroen-forum.nl. Retrieved 2022-02-08.
^"Top 5: Citroen SM innovations that saw the future - Video".
January 20, 2023
paul, magès, paul, ernest, mary, magès, 1908, 1999, known, invention, first, self, leveling, automobile, suspension, known, hydro, pneumatic, suspension, this, system, replaced, conventional, steel, springs, with, adaptive, system, hydraulic, struts, resulting. Paul Ernest Mary Mages 1908 1999 is known for his invention of the first self leveling automobile suspension known as hydro pneumatic suspension This system replaced conventional steel springs with an adaptive system of hydraulic struts resulting in a motoring experience that felt like no other automobile of the era 1 2 This suspension achieved its initial design brief fast travel on poor road surfaces 3 This advantage is still noted today especially in applications where ride quality is important like ambulance design 4 His formal schooling was modest He earned his National diploma Brevet d Etudes du Premier Cycle a preparatory course for the Academie des Arts et Metiers in Marseille At age 17 he sent his resume to Citroen one of the major automobile manufacturers in France where he was hired to maintain equipment 5 In 1936 he became a technical draftsman and in January 1942 CEO Pierre Jules Boulanger assigned him to the development department to solve problems with braking and suspension systems including for the Citroen 2CV 6 Mages studied published material on automobile suspension He was puzzled by the conventional wisdom that a supple suspension system was incompatible with good handling He had been assigned the task of producing a car with both qualities He realized that the solution must be located in a variable suspension one that is very flexible at low speed and stiff at high speed and load 7 This questioning led to the eventual development of a hydro pneumatic suspension system which combined an easily compressible gas in an enclosed chamber with the non compressible force multiplication properties of hydraulic machinery In such a system increasing loads produce higher gas pressures so the suspension becomes more rigid Mages ultimately concluded that hydraulic fluid under pressure delivered by an engine driven accessory a hydraulic pump was the best way to achieve the desired result 8 Mages may never have been able to solve this problem if he had better technical training Marcel Pagnol the French playwright famously said Everyone thought it was impossible except an idiot who did not know and who created it Mages kept a copy of this statement on his desk 9 Mages also developed DIRAVI speed sensitive power steering first used on the 1970 Citroen SM 10 Many current vehicles use air suspension to gain some of the advantages of hydro pneumatic suspension with slightly less perceived complexity and use new developments in electronics to achieve speed sensitive power steering The 1955 Citroen DS developed around Mages engineering innovations placed third in the 1999 Car of the Century competition behind the Ford Model T and the BMC BL Mini References Edit Fifty Cars That Changed the World by Design Museum 2010 ISBN 978 1840915365 Mages Paul Mages pere de l hydraulique chez Citroen paulmages com in French Retrieved 2018 01 16 Citroen DS Design Icon By Malcolm Bobbit 2005 ISBN 9781904788300 page 32 https www wpi edu Pubs E project Available E project 042712 134653 unrestricted FINAL AUCAS MQP Report pdf bare URL PDF http www passion citroen com l histoire citroen les hommes qui ont fait la marque paul mages Archived 2016 10 17 at the Wayback Machine in French Portret van een technisch genie Paul Mages Citroen Overig nieuws Citroen Forum nl www citroen forum nl Retrieved 2022 02 08 Portret van een technisch genie Paul Mages Citroen Overig nieuws Citroen Forum nl www citroen forum nl Retrieved 2022 02 08 Citroen DS Design Icon By Malcolm Bobbit 2005 ISBN 9781904788300 page 31 Portret van een technisch genie Paul Mages Citroen Overig nieuws Citroen Forum nl www citroen forum nl Retrieved 2022 02 08 Top 5 Citroen SM innovations that saw the future Video Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Paul Mages amp oldid 1110720668, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
