Tandem supercharging system

Claim 1

AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE HAVING AT LEAST TWO EXHAUST GAS DRIVE TURBOCHARGERS EACH HAVING A TURBINE CONNECTED TO RECEIVE EXHAUST GAS FROM THE ENGINE TO BE DRIVEN THEREBY AND A COMPRESSOR CONNECTED TO COMPRESS AND SUPPLY THE INLET AIR TO THE ENGINE, EACH OF THE TURBOCHARGERS BEING FREE-RUNING AND CONNECTED IN SERIES SO THAT ONE OF THE COMPRESSORS OPERATES AT RELATIVELY LOW PRESSURES AND THE OTHER AT RELATIVELY HIGH PRESSURES AND ONE OF THE TURBINES OPERATES AT RELATIVELY LOW PRESSURES AND THE OTHER AT RELATIVELY HIGH PRESSURES, THE TURBOCHARGERS BEING CONSTRUCTED TO SUPPLY AIR TO THE ENGINE AT AN ABSOLUTE PRESSURE OF AT LEAST THREE ATMOSPHERES, RELATIVE TO AMBIENT AIR PRESSURE, AT FULL LOAD ON THE ENGINE, AN AFTERCOOLER CONNECTED BETWEEN THE HIGH PRESSURE COMPRESSOR AN THE ENGINE FOR COOLING THE AIR BEFORE IT IS SUPPLIED TO THE ENGINE, AND MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE ENGINE ITSELF OVER AT LEAST A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE LOAD RANGE ON THE ENGINE WHILE AT LEAST ONE OF THE TURBOCHARGERS IS OPERATING SO THAT THE EXHAUST GASES SUPPLIED TO THE TURBINES WILL BE AT A HIGHER TEMPERATURE THAN OTHERWISE TO SUSTAIN THE TURBOCHARGERS AND PROVIDE BETTER SCAVENGING OVER A GREATER PORTION OF THE LOAD RANGE.