Multiple speed ratio power transmission mechanism with hydrokinetic unit and two simple planetary gear units

Claim 1

A POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM ADAPTED TO DELIVER DRIVING TORQUE FROM A DRIVING MEMBER TO A DRIVEN MEMBER COMPRISING A HYDROKINETIC UNIT HAVING A BLADED IMPELLER AND A BLADED TURBINE DISPOSED IN TOROIDAL FLUID FLOW RELATIONSHIP, SAID IMPELLER BEING CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVING MEMBER, A PAIR OF SIMPLE PLANETARY GEAR UNITS, EACH GEAR UNIT COMPRISING A RING GEAR, A SUN GEAR, A CARRIER AND PLANET GEARS ROTATABLY MOUNTED UPON SAID CARRIER IN MESHING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SUN AND RING GEARS, THE CARRIER OF EACH UNIT BEING CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO SAID DRIVEN MEMBER, AN OVERRUNING COUPLING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID TURBINE AND THE SUN GEAR OF A FIRST OF SAID GEAR UNITS, A SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE FRICTION CLUTCH MEANS FORMING IN PART A DIRECT MECHANICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID DRIVING MEMBER AND THE RING GEAR OF THE SECOND OF SAID GEAR UNIS, THE SUN GEAR OF THE SECOND UNIT BEING CONNECTED TO THE RING GEAR OF THE FIRST UNIT, A SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE FRICTION BRAKE MEANS FOR ANCHORING THE RING GEAR OF SAID FIRST UNIT AND THE SUN GEAR OF SAID SECOND UNIT DURING LOW SPEED RATIO OPERATION AND INTERMEDIATE SPEED RATIO OPERATION, AND SECOND SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE CLUTCH MEANS FOR CONNECTING TOGETHER TWO ELEMENTS OF SAID SECOND GEAR UNIT TO ESTABLISH A DIRECT DRIVE RATIO THROUGH SAID MECHANISM.