Abstract: Knitted stocking construction comprising a circular knit tubular foot portion and a tapered flat bed knit lower leg portion. Use of a flat knit lower leg portion allows pattern differentiation when yarn type and color, needle patterns, and stitch types are varied. Flat bed knitting of the lower leg portion also allows a substantial genuine width taper. The tapered flat bed knit lower leg portion 36 may be constructed using weft or warp knits, and may be equipped with drawstrings or other features like pockets.

Abstract: A three element, three phase hydrodynamic torque converter having improved structural and hydrodynamic characteristics, and automatic transmissions that use a plurality of such hydrodynamic torque converters as replacements for multiple disc wet clutches or the like to effect transmission ratio changes. The hydrodynamic torque converters use a centrifugal impeller and a centrifugal turbine on the forward axial side of the torque converter, and a centripetal stator mounted to the converter shell on the rearward axial side. Three phase operation results when using the specified geometries: [1] torque multiplication, where the speed ratio i=n.sub.t /n.sub.p is greater than one; [2] coupling phase, where the speed ratio approaches one; [3] extension phase, where the speed ratio equals one and then exceeds one. For operation with speed ratio i=n.sub.t /n.sub.p in the range 0.6 .ltoreq.i .ltoreq.1.3, operational efficiency .eta. is found to be between 82 and 88 percent.

Abstract: In power transmissions having power transmitting structures available for selective coupling to a plurality of power transmitting paths, increased kinematic degrees of freedom result when an input transmitter allows having a reaction element grounded in a reference frame, usually the transmission casing, inserted topologically inside a power transmitting structure or path. The reaction element may be selectively coupled to at least one power transmitting path to ground or restrain selected gearing elements of a geartrain. Interior placement of the reaction element allows that gearing elements or power transmitting paths normally blocked from access to the transmission case or a reference frame may be selectively coupled to either a power transmitting structure or to a braking or restraining structure, substantially increasing the number of possible ratio states.