Multiple speed ratio power transmission mechanism with close ratios

Claim 1

IN A DRIVELINE FOR AN ENGINE POWERED VEHICLE, A PAIR OF SIMPLE PLANETARY GEAR UNITS ADAPTED TO ESTABLISH A PLURALITY OF TORQUE DELIVERY PATHS BETWEEN A DRIVING MEMBER AND A DRIVEN MEMBER, EACH GEAR UNIT COMPRISING A RING GEAR, A SUN GEAR, A CARRIER, AND PLANT PINIONS MOUNTED UPON SAID CARRIER IN MESHING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ASSOCIATED SUN AND RING GEARS, MEANS FOR ESTABLISHING A TORQUE TRANSMITTING CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE RING GEAR OF A FIRST PLANETARY GEAR UNIT, MEANS FOR ESTABLISHING A TORQUE TRANSMITTING CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CARRIER OF SAID FIRST GEAR UNIT AND SAID DRIVEN MEMBER, THE SUN GEAR OF SAID FIRST GEAR UNIT BEING CONNECTED TO THE CARRIER OF THE OTHER GEAR UNIT, REACTION BRAKE MEANS FOR ANCHORING THE CARRIER OF SAID SECOND GEAR UNIT, MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING DRIVING TORQUE FROM THE RING GEAR OF SAID OTHER GEAR UNIT TO SAID DRIVEN MEMBER, MEANS FOR ANCHORING THE SUN GEAR OF SAID SECOND GEAR UNIT TO PROVIDE A TORQUE REACTION POINT DURING INTERMEDIATE SPEED RATIO OPERATION, AND MEANS FOR CLUTCHING TWO ELEMENTS OF SAID GEAR UNITS TOGETHER TO ESTABLISH A HIGH SPEED RATIO DRIVING CONDITION, SAID REACTION BRAKE MEANS COMPRISING AN OVERRUNNING COUPLING ADAPTED TO INHIBIT ROTATION OF THE CARRIER FOR SAID SECOND GEAR UNIT IN ONE DIRECTION WHILE ACCOMMODATING FREEWHEELING MOTION THEREOF IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION THEREBY PERMITTING A NONSYNCHRONOUS PICKUP SHIFT FROM THE LOW SPEED RATIO TO THE INTERMEDIATE SPEED RATIO WHEN SAID SUN GEAR ANCHORING MEANS IS APPLIED, SAID SUN GEAR ANCHORING MEANS COMPRISING AN OVERRUNNING COUPLING CAPABLE OF ACCOMODATING TORQUE REACTION IN ONE DIRECTION BUT PERMITTING FREEWHEELING MOTION OF THE SUN GEAR OF SAID SECOND GEAR UNIT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION THEREBY PERMITTING A SYNCHRONOUS UPSHRIFT FROM THE INTERMEDIATE SPEED RATIO TO THE HIGH SPEED RATIO AS BOTH CLUTCHES ARE APPLIED.