Patent ID: 7226381

Claim:
A multi-speed transmission comprising: an input shaft; an output shaft; first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets each having a first, a second and a third member, said members including a sun gear member, a ring gear member and a planet carrier assembly member; one of said members of one of said planetary gear sets being continuously connected with a stationary member; said input shaft being continuously connected with a member of said planetary gear sets and said output shaft being continuously connected with another member of said planetary gear sets; a first interconnecting member continuously interconnecting said first member of said first planetary gear set with said first member of said second planetary gear set; a second interconnecting member continuously interconnecting said second member of said second planetary gear set with one of said second member of said first planetary gear set and said first member of said third planetary gear set; a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting said second member of said third planetary gear set with said first member of said fourth planetary gear set; a fourth interconnecting member continuously interconnecting said third member of said third planetary gear set with said second member of said fourth planetary gear set; and six torque-transmitting mechanisms, operable for selectively interconnecting said members of said planetary gear sets with said input shaft, with said stationary member or with other members of said planetary gear sets, said six torque-transmitting mechanisms being engaged in combinations of two to establish nine forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio between said input shaft and said output shaft, wherein one of said torque-transmitting mechanisms is operable for selectively interconnecting one of said third member of said first planetary gear set with said first member of said third planetary gear set and said second member of said first planetary gear set with said third member of said second planetary gear set.