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

Claim 1

IN A MULTIPLE SPEED POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM HAVING A HYDROKINETIC UNIT, A PAIR OF SIMPLE PLANETARY GEAR UNITS CAPABLE OF DELIVERING POWER FROM A DRIVING MEMBER TO A DRIVEN MEMBER, SAID HYDROKINETIC UNIT COMPRISING AN IMPELLER AND A TURBINE SITUATED IN TOROIDAL FLUID FLOW RELATIONSHIP, SAID IMPELLER BEING CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVING MEMBER, EACH GEAR UNIT COMPRISING A RING GEAR, A SUN GEAR, PLANET GEARS MESHING WITH SAID SUN AND RING GEARS AND A CARRIER ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID PLANET GEARS, SAID TURBINE BEING CONNECTED TO A FIRST POWER INPUT ELEMENT OF A FIRST OF SAID GEAR UNITS, FIRST SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE CLUTCH MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID IMPELLER TO A SECOND POWER INPUT ELEMENT OF SAID FIRST GEAR UNIT, A POWER OUTPUT ELEMENT OF SAID FIRST GEAR UNIT BEING CONNECTED TO ONE ELEMENT OF SAID SECOND GEAR UNIT, MEANS FOR ANCHORING A SECOND ELEMENT OF SAID SECOND GEAR UNIT TO ESTABLISH A TORQUE REACTION, SECOND SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE CLUTCH MEANS FOR CONNECTING ONE ELEMENT OF SAID FIRST GEAR UNIT WITH AN ELEMENT OF SAID SECOND GEAR UNIT, A POWER OUTPUT ELEMENT OF SAID SECOND GEAR UNIT BEING CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVEN MEMBER, SELECTIVELY OPERABLE MEANS FOR RENDERING SAID HYDROKINETIC UNIT INEFFECTIVE FOR TORQUE DELIVERY, MEANS FOR ANCHORING SAID FIRST POWER INPUT ELEMENT OF SAID FIRST GEAR UNIT WHEN SAID HYDROKINETIC UNIT IS INEFFECTIVE, AND MEANS FOR DELIVERING TORQUE BETWEEN SAID SECOND POWER INPUT ELEMENT AND SAID DRIVEN MEMBER.