Patent ID: 8784258

Claim:
A multiple speed power transmission, comprising: a housing; an input shaft projecting through an input side of the housing; an epicyclic gearing assembly comprising first, second, third, and fourth rotating members configured such that the speed of the second rotating member is constrained to be between that of the first and third rotating members and the speed of the third rotating members is constrained to be between that of the second and fourth rotating members; a first planetary gear set axially located between the epicyclic gearing assembly and the input side of the housing and comprising a first sun gear fixed to the input shaft, a first ring gear, a first carrier fixed to the housing, a first set of planet gears supported on the first carrier and meshing with the first sun gear, and a second set of planet gears supported on the first carrier and meshing with both the first ring gear and the first set of planet gears; a first brake releasably holding the third rotating member against rotation; a second brake releasably holding the fourth rotating member against rotation; a first clutch releasably connecting the third rotating member to the input shaft; a second clutch releasably connecting the fourth rotating member to the first ring gear; a third clutch releasably connecting the first rotating member to the first ring gear; and an output element fixed to the second rotating member and axially located between the first planetary gear set and the input side of the housing.