Multi-speed transmission

1. 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 interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the first member of the first planetary gear set with the second member of the second planetary gear set;

a second interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the second member of the first planetary gear set with the third member of the second planetary gear set and the third member of the third planetary gear set;

a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the second member of the third planetary gear set with the third member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a fourth interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the first member of the second planetary gear set with the second member of the fourth planetary gear set; and

five torque transmitting devices each selectively engageable to interconnect at least one of the first, second, and third members with at least one other of the first members, second members, third members and a stationary member, and wherein the torque transmitting devices are selectively engageable in combinations of at least two to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

2. The transmission of claim 1 wherein a first of the five torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the second planetary gear set and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set with the input member and the first member of the third planetary gear set.

3. The transmission of claim 2 wherein a second of the five torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the fourth planetary gear set with the input member and the first member of the third planetary gear set.

4. The transmission of claim 3 wherein a third of the five torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the third member of the first planetary gear set with the stationary member.

5. The transmission of claim 4 wherein a fourth of the five torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the first planetary gear set and the second member of the second planetary gear set with the stationary member.

6. The transmission of claim 5 wherein a fifth of the five torque transmitting devices is selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the fourth planetary gear set with the stationary member.

7. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the first and third planetary gear sets are disposed between the second and fourth planetary gear sets.

8. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the first planetary gear set is disposed adjacent the second planetary gear set and the third planetary gear set is disposed adjacent the fourth planetary gear set.

9. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the third member of the first planetary gear set, the first member of the second planetary gear set, the first member of the third planetary gear set and the first member of the fourth planetary gear set are sun gears, the second member of the first planetary gear set, the second member of the second planetary gear set, the second member of the third planetary gear set and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set are carrier members and the first member of the first planetary gear set, third member of the second planetary gear set, the third member of the third planetary gear set and the third member of the fourth planetary gear set are ring gears.

10. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the input member is continuously interconnected with the first member of the third planetary gear set and output member is continuously interconnected with the second member of the third planetary gear set and with the third member of the fourth planetary gear set.

11. The transmission of claim 1 wherein three of the five torque transmitting devices are brakes and two of the five torque transmitting devices are clutches.

12. The transmission of claim 1 wherein the stationary member is a transmission housing.

13. A transmission comprising:

an input member;

an output member;

first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets each having first, second and third members, wherein the input member is continuously interconnected with the first member of the third planetary gear set and output member is continuously interconnected with the second member of the third planetary gear set and with the third member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a first interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the first member of the first planetary gear set with the second member of the second planetary gear set;

a second interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the second member of the first planetary gear set with the third member of the second planetary gear set and the third member of the third planetary gear set;

a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the second member of the third planetary gear set with the third member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a fourth interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the first member of the second planetary gear set with the second member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a first torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the second planetary gear set and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set with the input member and the first member of the third planetary gear set;

a second torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the fourth planetary gear set with the input member and the first member of the third planetary gear set;

a third torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the third member of the first planetary gear set with the stationary member;

a fourth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the first planetary gear set and the second member of the second planetary gear set with the stationary member;

a fifth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the first member of the fourth planetary gear set with the stationary member, and

wherein the torque transmitting devices are each selectively engageable in combinations of at least two to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

14. The transmission of claim 13 wherein the third member of the first planetary gear set, the first member of the second planetary gear set, the first member of the third planetary gear set and the first member of the fourth planetary gear set are sun gears, the second member of the first planetary gear set, the second member of the second planetary gear set, the second member of the third planetary gear set and the second member of the fourth planetary gear set are carrier members and the first member of the first planetary gear set, third member of the second planetary gear set, the third member of the third planetary gear set and the third member of the fourth planetary gear set are ring gears.

15. The transmission of claim 13 wherein the stationary member is a transmission housing.

16. The transmission of claim 13 wherein the first and third planetary gear sets are disposed between the second and fourth planetary gear sets.

17. The transmission of claim 13 wherein the first planetary gear set is disposed adjacent the second planetary gear set and the third planetary gear set is disposed adjacent the fourth planetary gear set.

18. A transmission comprising:

an input member;

an output member;

first, second, third and fourth planetary gear sets each having a sun gear, a carrier member and a ring gear, wherein the input member is continuously interconnected with the sun gear of the third planetary gear set and output member is continuously interconnected with the carrier member of the third planetary gear set and the ring gear of the fourth planetary gear set;

a first interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the ring gear of the first planetary gear set with the carrier member of the second planetary gear set;

a second interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the carrier member of the first planetary gear set with the ring gear of the second planetary gear set and the ring gear of the third planetary gear set;

a third interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the carrier member of the third planetary gear set with the ring gear of the fourth planetary gear set;

a fourth interconnecting member continuously interconnecting the sun gear of the second planetary gear set with the carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set;

a first torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the sun gear of the second planetary gear set and the carrier member of the fourth planetary gear set with the input member and the sun gear of the third planetary gear set;

a second torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the sun gear member of the fourth planetary gear set with the input member and the sun gear of the third planetary gear set;

a third torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the sun gear of the first planetary gear set with the stationary member;

a fourth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the ring gear of the first planetary gear set and the carrier member of the second planetary gear set with the stationary member;

a fifth torque transmitting device selectively engageable to interconnect the sun gear of the fourth planetary gear set with the stationary member, and

wherein the torque transmitting devices are each selectively engageable in combinations of at least two to establish at least eight forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.

19. The transmission of claim 18 wherein the first and third planetary gear sets are disposed between the second and fourth planetary gear sets.

20. The transmission of claim 18 wherein the first planetary gear set is disposed adjacent the second planetary gear set and the third planetary gear set is disposed adjacent the fourth planetary gear set.