Automatic transmission

An automatic transmission for an automobile with an engine, comprising:

• a transmission casing:
• a transaxle casing:
• the transmission casing and the transaxle casing being formed with connecting flanges with matching faces which abut together, and being joined together by means of these connecting flanges;
• a fluid torque converter, mounted in the transaxle casing, comprising a power input shaft on its one side and a power output shaft on its other side, the input shaft being adapted for connection to the engine;
• a hydraulic fluid pressure supply pump, comprising a hollow power input shaft which is directly connected to the power input shaft of the fluid torque converter and which extends coaxially with the power output shaft of the fluid torque converter which passes through its central hole, the pump being mounted to the transmission casing and being opposed to the transaxle casing;
• a differential gear mechanism comprising a power input shaft extending with its axis generally parallel to the axis of the fluid torque converter, the differential mechanism being located in the transaxle housing generally in parallel with the fluid torque converter;
• a gear transmission mechanism, mounted in the transmission casing, comprising coaxially arranged power input and power output shafts, and a plurality of hydraulic pressure operated servo devices, the gear transmission mechanism being shiftable between various speed stages according to selective supply of control hydraulic fluid pressure to the hydraulic fluid pressure operated servo devices, the power output shaft of the gear transmission mechanism being drivingly connected to and coaxial with the power input shaft of the differential gear mechanism;
• an endless chain power transmission mechanism which drivingly connects the power input shaft of the gear transmission mechanism to the power output shaft of the fluid torque converter;
• and a hydraulic fluid pressure control device, mounted in the transmission casing, which controls supply of control hydraulic fluid pressure to the hydraulic fluid pressure operated servo devices;
• a governor hydraulic fluid pressure regulating valve rotatably mounted to the transaxle casing, a first hydraulic fluid port formed in the mating surface of the connecting flange of the transmission casing, the first hydraulic fluid port communicating with the hydraulic fluid pressure control device, and a second hydraulic fluid port formed in the mating surface of the connecting flange of the transaxle casing, the second hydraulic fluid port being connected to the governor hydraulic fluid pressure regulating valve;
• the first and second hydraulic fluid ports corresponding to one another, when the transmission casing and the transaxle casing are joined together by their connecting flanges, and providing a hydraulic fluid passage between the hydraulic fluid pressure control device and the governor hydraulic fluid pressure regulating valve.