Patent ID: 8241168

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; a first torque transmitting device selectively engageable to connect at least one of the third member of the second planetary gear set and the input member with at least one of the third member of the first planetary gear set and the third member of the third planetary gear set; a second torque transmitting device selectively engageable to connect at least one of the first member of the first planetary gear set and the first member of the second planetary gear set with at least one of the third member of the first planetary gear set and the third member of the third planetary gear set; a third torque transmitting device selectively engageable to connect the second member of the first planetary gear set with the third member of the fourth planetary gear set and the output member; a fourth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to connect the first member of the third planetary gear with a stationary member; a fifth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to connect the first member of the fourth planetary gear set with the stationary member; and at least four continuous connections from at least one of the first members, the second members, the third members, and the stationary member to at least one other of the first members, the second members, and the third members, and wherein the torque transmitting devices are selectively engageable in combinations of at least three to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.