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

Claim 1

IN A MULTIPLE SPEED RATIO POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM FOR DISTRIBUTING TORQUE FROM A DRIVING MEMBER TO A DRIVEN MEMBER, A PAIR OF PLANETARY GEAR UNITS, EACH GEAR UNIT COMPRISING A SUN GEAR, A RING GEAR, PLANET GEARS MESHING WITH SAID SUN AND RING GEARS AND A CARRIER ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID PLANET GEARS, A HYDROKINETIC UNIT HAVING AN IMPELLER AND A TURBINE DISPOSED IN TOROIDAL FLUID FLOW RELATIONSHIP, SAID IMPELLER BEING CONNECTED DRIVABLY TO SAID DRIVING MEMBER, AN OVERRUNNING COUPLING CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TURBINE MEMBER AND THE SUN GEAR OF A FIRST OF SAID GEAR UNITS, THE CARRIER OF SAIS FIRST GEAR UNIT BEING CONNECTED TO THE RING GEAR OF THE SECOND UNIT, THE CARRIER OF THE SECOND UNIT BEING CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVEN MEMBER, FIRST SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE CLUTCH MEANS FOR DRIVABLY CONNECTING THE CARRIER OF SAID FIRST UNIT TO THE SUN GEAR OF SAID SECOND UNIT DURING OPERATION IN A SECOND AND FOURTH SPEED RATIO, SECOND SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE CLUTCH MEANS FOR CONNECTING TOGETHER THE RING GEAR OF SAID FIRST UNIT AND THE SUN GEAR OF SAID SECOND UNIT DURING REVERSE DRIVE OPERATION, OVERRUNNING BRAKE MEANS FOR ANCHORING THE SUN GEAR OF SAID SECOND GEAR UNIT TO ESTABLISH A DRIVING TORQUE REACTION PATH DURING OPERATION IN A FIRST AND A THIRD SPEED RATIO, SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE BRAKE MEANS FOR ANCHORING THE CARRIER OF SAID FIRST GEAR UNIT DURING REVERSE DRIVE OPERATION, A DRUM ROTATABLY SUPPORTED BY A RELATIVELY STATIONARY PORTION OF SAID MECHANISM, OTHER SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE BRAKE MEANS FOR ANCHORING SAID DRUM, SAID DRUM ENCLOSING AND PARTLY DEFINING A PORTION OF SAID SECOND SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE CLUTCH MEANS, SAID DRUM ENCLOSING ALSO SAID FIRST GEAR UNIT AND SAID FIRST SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE CLUTCH MEANS, AND THIRD SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE CLUTCH MEANS FOR DRIVABLY CONNECTING THE CARRIER OF SAID FIRST GEAR UNIT TO SAID DRIVING MEMBER DURING OPERATION IN A THIRD SPEED RATIO AND A FOURTH SPEED RATIO.