Four speed overdrive transaxle

Claim 1

A transaxle driveline comprising a hydrokinetic torque converter (18) and multiple ratio planetary gearing (26) ; said converter having (18) a turbine and an impeller adapted to be connected drivably to a vehicle engine crankshaft (10), the axes of the crankshaft (10), the converter (18) and the gearing (26) being common; said gearing comprising a ring gear (56), a large sun gear (60), a small sun gear (58), the large sun gear (60) being located on the side of said small sun gear (58) remote from said engine crankshaft (10), a set of long planet pinions (62) engaging said large sun gear (60) and said ring gear (56), a set of short planet pinions (64) engaging said small sun gear (58) and the long planet pinions (62), a carrier (66) for journalling said long and short pinions ; first brake means (114) for anchoring said carrier (66) during operation in first forward drive ration and in reverse drive, second brake means (116) for anchoring said large sun gear (60) during second underdrive ratio and during overdrive operation; characterized in that, a turbine shaft (36) is connected to said turbine and extending through said planetary gearing (26) to the side of 'said planetary gearing remote from said crankshaft (10); first clutch means (154) for connecting said turbine shaft (36) to the small sun gear (58) during operation in the first and second underdrive ratios and during direct drive operation, second clutch means (80) for connecting said turbine shaft (36) to said carrier during direct drive operation and overdrive operation, third clutch means (134Y for connecting said large sun gear (60) to said turbine shaft (36) during reverse drive operation; said first clutch means (134) and said third clutch means (154) having a common cylinder member (148) with annular cylinders located in radial disposition, one with respect to the other, the third clutch means (134) having a larger operating radius than the first clutch means (154); said first and third clutch means (154 and 134) being located on the side of said planetary gearing (26) remote from said crankshaft (10); said frist and second brake means (114 and 116) being located radially outward of said planetary gearing (26) and on the side of said first and third clutch means (154 and 134) closest to said crankshaft; and final drive gearing (28) including a differential gear mechanism with an operating output axis spaced from said final drive axis, the operating plane of said final drive gearing (28) being located between said converter (18) and said planetary gearing (26).