Hydrokinetic power transmission mechanism including multiple element torque converter

Claim 1

A HYDROINETIC POWER TRANSIMSSION COMPRISING A HYDROKINETIC TORQUE CONVERTER AND A PLANETARY GEAR SYSTEM THAT COOPERATE TO THE DEFINE THE TORQUE DELIVERY PATHS FROM A DRIVING MEMBER TO A DRIVEN MEMBER, SAID TORQUE CONVERTER COMPRISING AN IMPELLER, A PRIMARY TURBINE, A PRIMARY STATOR, A SECONDARY TURBINE AND A SECONDARY STATOR SITUATED IN TOROIDAL FLUID FLOW RELATIONSHIP IN A COMMON TORUS CIRCUIT, SAID GEAR SYSTEM COMPRISING A FIRST SUN GEAR, A SECOND SUN GEAR, A RING GEAR, FIRST PLANET PINIONS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID SECOND SUN GEAR, SECOND PLANET PINIONS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID FIRST SUN GEAR AND ALSO WITH SAID RING GEAR AND SAID FIRST PLANET PINIONS, A CARRIER ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID PLANET PINIONS, SAID CARRIER BEING CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVEN MEMBER, CLUTCH MEANS FOR CONNECTING SELECTIVELY SAID SECONDARY TURBINE TO SAID DRIVEN MEMBER, FIRST OVERRUNNING BRAKE MEANS FOR ANCHORING SAID SECONDARY STATOR AGAINST ROTATION IN A FORWARD DIRECTION OPPOSITE THAT OF SAID IMPELLER AND PERMITTING FREEWHEELING MOTION THEREOF IN A SECOND DIRECTION, SECOND OVERRUNNING BRAKE MEANS FOR INHIBITING ROTATION OF SAID PRIMARY STATOR IN A FORWARD DIRECTION OPPOSITE THAT OF THE SAID IMPELLER BUT ACCOMMODATING FREEWHEELING MOTION THEFEOF IN A SECOND DIRECTION, A TURBINE SHAFT CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND SUN GEAR, A FIRST TORQUE TRANSMITTING WEB CONNECTING SAID TURBINE SHAFT TO SAID PRIMARY TURBINE AND EXTENDING THROUGH AN INNER REGION OF THE TORUS CIRCUIT BETWEEN THE EXIT SECTION OF SAID SECONDARY TURBINE AND THE ENTRANCE REGION OF SAID SECONDARY STATOR, AND REACTION BRAKE MEANS FOR ANCHORING SELECTIVELY SAID FIRST SUN GEAR DURING OPERATION OF SAID MECHANISM IN A LOW SPEED RATIO RANGE THEREBY CONDITIONING SAID GEAR SYSTEM TO MULTIPLY THE EFFECTIVE TORQUE DEVELOPED BY SAID PRIMARY TURBINE.