Multiple speed ratio power transmission mechanism with synchronous speed ratio shifts

Claim 1

A POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM FOR DELIVERING DRIVING TORQUE FROM A DRIVING MEMBER TO A DRIVEN MEMBER COMPRISING A POWER INPUT GEAR CONNECTED TO SAID DRIVING MEMBER, A PLURALITY OF CLUSTER GEAR ASSEMBLIES MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT AXES PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID POWER INPUT GEAR, TORQUE OUTPUT GEARS MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID POWER INPUT GEAR AND ARRANGED IN MESHING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CLUSTER GEAR ASSEMBLIES, SAID TORQUE OUTPUT GEARS HAVING FORMED THEREON CLUTCH TEETH, A CLUTCH SHAFT MOUNTED CONCENTRICALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID TORQUE OUTPUT GEARS, SAID CLUTCH SHAFT HAVING CLUTCH TEETH FORMED THEREON, MEANS FOR SHIFTING SAID CLUTCH SHAFT LONGITUDINALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE AXIS OF SAID OUTPUT GEARS WHEREBY ITS CLUTCH TEETH ENGAGE SELECTIVELY THE TEETH OF SAID OUTPUT GEARS, A FRICTION CLUTCH ASSEMBLY ADAPTED TO ESTABLISH A DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID CLUTCH SHAFT AND SAID DRIVEN SHAFT COMPRISING A CLUTCH INPUT ELEMENT DRIVABLY CONNECTED TO SAID CLUTCH SHAFT, A CLUTCH OUTPUT ELEMENT, JUXTAPOSED FRICTION MEMBERS CARRIED RESPECTIVELY BY SAID CLUTCH INPUT ELEMENT AND SAID CLUTCH OUTPUT ELEMENT, A CLUTCH REACTION RING HAVING A PORTION SITUATED ADJACENT SAID FRICTION MEMBERS, MEANS FOR APPLYING A CLUTCH ENGAGING FORCE TO SAID FRICTION MEMBERS, A DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID CLUTCH OUTPUT ELEMENT, AND SAID DRIVEN MEMBER, AND MEANS FOR OVERRULING THE INFLUENCE OF SAID CLUTCH FORCE APPLYING MEANS WHEREBY SAID FRICTION MEMBERS BECOME DISENGAGED TO PERMIT SAID CLUTCH SHAFT TO BE SHIFTED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE AXIS OF SAID OUTPUT GEARS.