Multiple-speed, hydrokinetic transmission

Claim 1

In a multiple speed hydrokinetic power transmission mechanism comprising a housing and multiple ratio planetary gearing in said housing, a hydrokinetic torque converter, a torque output element of said planetary gearing being connected to a driven member and the impeller of said torque converter being connected to a driving member; a simple planetary gear unit disposed between said converter and the multiple ratio gearing and arranged on a common axis with said converter and said multiple ratio gearing, said simple planetary gear unit comprising a sun gear, a ring gear, planet pinions and a planet carrier supporting said pinion in meshing engagement with said ring and sun gears; brake means including a brake drum for anchoring selectively said sun gear and friction clutch means located with the drum for said brake means for selectively connecting said sun gear with said carrier; a turbine shaft connecting said turbine with said carrier, overrunning clutch means for connecting said carrier to said ring gear when said brake means is released thereby establishing a drive ratio of unity for said simple planetary ger unit, said friction clutch means establishing torque transfer between said turbine shaft and said multiple ratio gear unit in both directions and said overrunning clutch establishing torque transfer therebetween in one direction only; a bearing support wall of said housing between said multiple ratio planetary gearing and said simple planetary gearing, said overrunning clutch means being located between said support wall and said simple planetary gear unit and said friction clutch means and said brake drum being located between said converter and said simple planetary gear unit, thereby reducing the overall axial dimension of said mechanism; said planetary gearing having an intermediate torque transfer shaft, multiple friction clutches for connecting selectively said torque transfer shaft with separate torque input elements of said gearing; and said overrunning clutch having an outer race connected to one end of said torque transfer shaft, an inner race connected to said turbine shaft whereby a torque flow path through said overrunning clutch is established thus bypassing the sun and ring gears and the planet pinions of said simple planetary gear unit when said brake means is released.