Patent ID: 7862256

Claim:
A pipeline weighting device for straddling a longitudinal axis of a pipeline, comprising: a plurality of interconnected, generally tubular-shaped lobes arranged to straddle the pipeline in a balanced manner along the longitudinal axis of the pipeline; each of the lobes having an inner side wall interior of the lobe, opposed and closed longitudinal side edges, and opposed ends, one end being a closed end, and the other end forming an open or partially open filling end; the plurality of lobes being formed of a flexible, water permeable fabric to hold a weighting fill material; and each of the lobes being formed with a self-closing filling flap at the open or partially open filling end, the filling flap extending into an interior of the lobe and being fixed to the inner side wall of the lobe to provide an opening into the lobe within the interior of the lobe such that, when each of the lobes is fully charged through the opening with the fill material, and the pipeline weighting device is turned on its longitudinal axis, the filling flap becomes trapped within the fill material to close the lobe and to contain the fill material.