Patent ID: 8777797

Claim:
A transmission comprising: an input member; an output member; first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets each having first, second and third members, and wherein the input member is continuously connected for common rotation with one of the members of the first planetary gear set and the output member is continuously connected for common rotation with one of the members of the fourth planetary gear set and one of the members of the third planetary gear set; four interconnecting members continuously interconnecting a member of the first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets with another member of the first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets; and six torque transmitting mechanisms wherein three of the six torque transmitting mechanisms are each selectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the first, second and third members of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear sets directly with at least one other of the first, second, third members of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear sets and wherein three of the six torque transmitting mechanisms are each selectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the first, second and third members of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear sets directly with a stationary member, and wherein the six torque transmitting mechanisms are selectively engageable in combinations of at least three to establish a plurality of forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member, a first of the six torque transmitting mechanisms is selectively engageable to interconnect one of the members of the third planetary gear set directly with the third member of the fourth planetary gear set, and a second of the six torque transmitting mechanisms is selectively engageable to interconnect the input member directly with the third member of the fourth planetary gear set.