Donald Patrick Cunningham
Engineering in Pittsburgh, PA

5220155, Jun 15, 1993

Mar 12, 1992

7/849890

Donald M. Cunningham - Pittsburgh PA

Emerson Electric Co. - St. Louis MO

H05B 374

219464

An electric range (R) has a glass/ceramic cooking top (S) upon which rests a cooking utensil. Electrical heating apparatus (10) has an electrical resistance heating element (12) to which an electrical current is supplied. This causes the heating element to generate heat. A heat sink (16) is interposed between the heating element and the cooking top for absorbing heat energy from the heating element and for spreading the energy under the surface area of the top by conduction. The heat sink is of an electrically insulative, translucent, aluminum nitride material or similar high thermal conductivity material. An insulation cake (20) supports the heating element and heat sink adjacent an underside of the cooking top and provides both electrical and thermal insulation. A pan (24) supports the insulation cake, the heating element (12) and the sink (16) in intimate contact with each other and the underside of the cooking top for maximum heat transfer by conduction. The heating element also functions as a temperature sensor responding with a change in electrical resistance to a change in temperature of the heating element as influenced by the cooking process.

6191400, Feb 20, 2001

Oct 21, 1999

9/422435

Donald M. Cunningham - Pittsburgh PA

Emerson Electric Co. - St. Louis MO

H05B 302

219546

A metal sheath heating element for substantially dry applications is disclosed. In one embodiment, the heater is substantially elongate and cylindrical, and comprises a coiled resistive heater wire. The heater wire is disposed within a stainless steel outer sheath. Granular insulating material is introduced into the sheath to electrically insulate the heating element from the outer sheath, and to thermally conduct heat from the heating element to the sheath. At least one small hole is formed in outer sheath to permit any moisture trapped therein to escape, advantageously minimizing the potential for current leakage between the heating element and the outer sheath, as well as minimizing the likelihood of depletion of oxygen from the filler material due to oxidation occurring within the sheath. In one embodiment, a plurality of holes are formed at spaced intervals along the length of the sheath.

4900897, Feb 13, 1990

Nov 21, 1988

7/273291

Donald M. Cunningham - Pittsburgh PA
Mark A. Bartels - Rockford IL
T. Randall Markum - Vernon AL

Emerson Electric Co. - St. Louis MO

H05B 348

219336

In a metallic sheathed electric heating element assembly having a resistance element, a sheath surrounding the resistance element, pulverulent electrically insulating material within the sheath and surrounding the resistance element, the insulating material being tightly compacted and extending within the sheath short of an open end thereof, and a terminal pin electrically and mechanically connected to an end of the resistance element within the compass of the sheath, the terminal pin is made in two parts, an inner part to which the resistance element is connected, and an outer part spaced from the inner part, and a thermal switch or cut off electrically connected to and in series between the inner and outer parts of the pin within the sheath but spaced toward the open end from the compacted insulating material, the thermal switch being in good thermal contact with the inner part of the terminal pin.

4543469, Sep 24, 1985

Apr 26, 1982

6/371668

Donald M. Cunningham - Pittsburgh PA

Emerson Electric Co. - St. Louis MO

H05B 382, F24H 120

219336

An electric metallic sheathed immersion heating element adapted to be mounted on the metal wall of a fluid tank with the active heating portion of the element extending through an opening in the tank wall into the contents thereof includes a rigid plastic mounting member fixed to the terminal portion of the heating element and adapted to be connected to the tank wall at the opening to operatively support the heating element on the tank. The rigid plastic mounting member may be formed as a molded plastic plug having an exterior screw thread adapted to engage a cooperative screw thread on the tank wall or as a flat plate adapted to be bolted to the exterior surface of the tank wall. In order to reduce corrosive erosion of the heating element sheath, the sheath is grounded to the metal tank wall by a U-shaped grounding member formed of a thin-gauge cold-rolled steel. The bight of the member overlies the outer surface of the mounting member and is electrically connected to the heating element sheath by crimping, while the legs of the member extend in the direction of the tank wall on opposite sides of the grounding member and are of sufficient length to resiliently electrically engage the tank wall when the heating element is operatively mounted in the tank opening by the mounting member. To limit galvanic current flow, the bight and legs of the grounding member are electrically isolated and a current limiting resistor is interposed in series therebetween.

4395618, Jul 26, 1983

Mar 3, 1980

6/126673

Donald M. Cunningham - Pittsburgh PA

Emerson Electric Co. - St. Louis MO

H05B 382, F24H 110, F28F 922

219298

A circulation heater for heating a fluid, particularly a liquid such as oil, includes an imperforate heavy-duty steel tubular body closed at both ends and having internal vanes establishing a plurality of separated longitudinally - extending chambers therein. The vanes are ported to establish a fluid flow path serially through the chambers from an inlet communicating with a first chamber to an outlet communicating with a last chamber. One or more metal-sheathed electric heating elements are located within each chamber and the chambers and heating elements therein are so arranged and designed, for example, by making the chambers of uniform transverse cross-sectional area and placing different numbers of heating elements of identical transverse cross-sectional area in each chamber, that the velocity of the fluid increases as it flows from the inlet to the outlet. The watt density of the heating elements in the respective chambers is correlated to the velocity of the fluid flowing through the chamber and temperature of the fluid in the chamber to prevent overheating of the fluid.

4319127, Mar 9, 1982

Jul 16, 1980

6/169413

John A. Lindstrom - Pittsburgh PA
Donald M. Cunningham - Pittsburgh PA

Emerson Electric Co. - St. Louis MO

H05B 306

219523

Electric heating elements, particularly adapted for use in solder pots or in other uses wherein a substance is to be maintained in a molten or plastic condition, and commonly termed in such uses as over-the-side heaters. A conventional tubular heater is disposed within the central opening of a thick-wall metal pipe or tube, and the latter is swaged to reduce its cross-sectional size and thereby fit tightly about the tubular heater. Thereafter, the pipe and the heater therein, are bent in a pipe bender to any desired shape.

4879453, Nov 7, 1989

Jun 10, 1987

7/060739

Donald M. Cunningham - Pittsburgh PA

Emerson Electric Co. - St. Louis MO

H05B 314

219213

A self-regulating heat producing strip is disposed along each wall of a room. The strip includes at least one pair of spaced apart electrical conductors extending longitudinally along the base of at least one wall and spaced therefrom. Self-limiting conductive material is in physical contact with and forms a heat generating zone between the conductors. An electrically insulated jacket longitudinally covers the conductors and the self-limiting conductive material. Connectors are provided for connecting the conductors to a power source to generate heat in the heat generating zone between the conductors.

3933200, Jan 20, 1976

Jun 21, 1974

5/481895

Donald M. Cunningham - Pittsburgh PA

Emerson Electric Co. - St. Louis MO

F28F 116, F28F 122, F28F 126, F28F 132

165 64

The invention relates to apparatus for conditioning the temperature of an elongated tubular member, and the contents therein, and comprises a plurality of cast metal shoes adapted to be connected in side-by-side relation about the periphery of the member. Certain of the shoes contain cooling means and certain other of the shoes contain electric heating means. The invention provides for identical construction of all of the shoes, apart from the contained cooling and heating means, and includes means for connecting the shoes in side-by-side relation without the need of special tools.

3931495, Jan 6, 1976

Dec 11, 1974

5/531665

Walter J. Dzaack - Glenshaw PA
Donald M. Cunningham - Pittsburgh PA
Frank T. Walton - Oakmont PA

Emerson Electric Co. - St. Louis MO

H05B 368

219463

The heating unit is particularly adapted for a stove panel and the like, and comprises a pan adapted to be supported on the panel, the pan having an opening in its side wall. A sheathed electric heating element has an active heating portion formed into a flat spiral, such heating portion being supported crosswise of the top of the pan. The heating element has at least two terminal portions extending downwardly from the active heating portion and laterally thereof, the terminal portions extending through the pan opening for connection to a source of electrical energy. A closure, formed of an elastic material, such as cured silicone rubber, closes the pan opening. The terminal portions extend through the closure and the latter cooperates with the terminal portions to provide a hinge about which the heating element may be pivoted to swing the active heating portions upwardly from its supported position on the top of the pan.

3934116, Jan 20, 1976

Oct 23, 1974

5/517366

Donald M. Cunningham - Pittsburgh PA
Ralph Santoro - Verona PA

Emerson Electric Co. - St. Louis MO

H05B 100, H05B 378, F24H 100

219336

The heater assembly comprises a sheathed electric heating element and an elastomeric bushing within a sheath end opening. A mounting flange is rigidly secured to the sheath inwardly of an end, and the bushing is held under longitudinal compression at the time the mounting flange is secured to the sheath.