Patent ID: 7267348

Claim:
An axle saddle for welding to a cylindrical vehicle axle and a rocker- or control-beam of a vehicular suspension system, comprising: a body forming generally a longitudinal slice of a cylinder, sized to fit closely around a portion of the cylindrical vehicle axle; said body extending longitudinally between spaced, arcing lateral edges as well as extending in a cylindrical plane between spaced longitudinal edges, said longitudinal edges adapted for forming welded seams to or with the vehicle axle; said body being formed with at least one longitudinally elongated, slot aperture that is proximately associated and aligned in a generally parallel relation with at least one longitudinal edge, said slot aperture providing an endless weld track and relieving in part the stress load carried through the welded seam of the associated longitudinal edge; at least one of the longitudinal edges of said body being formed with a recessed-in weld track, having a major longitudinal track portion being flanked between opposite incurved curved portions, wherein said incurved curved portions reduce weld undercutting problems.