Fire-suppression water-intake valve, fire-suppression sprinkler head configured for rapid installation in, and rapid removal from, the water-intake valve without the need to interrupt the water supply, and related systems and methods

A fire-suppression water-intake valve, comprising:

• a receptacle configured to receive a fire-suppression sprinkler head including an outer wall and grooves formed in, but not through, the outer wall, and a region configured to engage a tool, the receptacle including
• an inner wall, and
• protrusions protruding from the inner wall at approximately a same level, each of the protrusions configured to engage a respective groove of the grooves of the fire-suppression sprinkler head such that the fire-suppression sprinkler head is removable from the receptacle with the tool while the fire-suppression sprinkler head is experiencing water pressure;
• and
• a valve assembly
• configured
• to be closed in response to an absence of the fire-suppression sprinkler head from the receptacle, and
• to be open in response to a presence of the fire-suppression sprinkler head in the receptacle, and
• including
• a sealing surface,
• an O-ring,
• a spring, and
• a plunger, over which the O-ring is disposed, having a spring guide and configured to urge the O-ring against the sealing surface in response to the spring and pressure of a fluid in a fire-suppression system.

A fire-suppression sprinkler-head assembly, comprising:

• a fire-suppression sprinkler head including grooves formed part-way through a head side and a region configured to receive an installation-and-removal tool;
• and
• a fire-suppression water-intake valve
• having a receptacle including
• an inner wall, and
• discontinuous protrusions extending from the inner wall, each of the discontinuous protrusions configured to engage a respective groove of the grooves of the fire-suppression sprinkler head such that the fire-suppression sprinkler head is removable from the receptacle while under pressure using the tool,
• configured
• to close in response to removing the fire-suppression sprinkler head from the receptacle, and
• to open in response to inserting the fire-suppression sprinkler head into the receptacle, and
• including
• a sealing surface,
• an O-ring,
• a spring, and
• a plunger having a spring guide and configured to close the fire-suppression water-intake valve by urging the O-ring, which is disposed over the plunger, against the sealing surface in response to the spring and pressure from a fluid in a fire-suppression system.

A fire-suppression system, comprising:

• a fluid-distribution system;
• and
• a fire-suppression sprinkler-head assembly in fluid communication with the fluid-distribution system and including
• a fire-suppression sprinkler head including grooves formed part-way through a head wall, and
• a fire-suppression water-intake valve
• having a receptacle including
• an inner wall, and
• protrusions extending from the inner wall at approximately a same level, each of the protrusions configured to engage a respective groove of the grooves of the fire-suppression sprinkler head such that the fire-suppression sprinkler head is removable while the fluid-distribution system is pressurized,
• having a valve assembly installable while a portion of the fire-suppression sprinkler-head assembly is attached to the fluid distribution system, the valve assembly
• configured
• to close in response to removing the fire-suppression sprinkler head from the receptacle, and
• to open in response to inserting the fire-suppression sprinkler head into the receptacle, and
• including
• a sealing surface,
• an O-ring,
• a spring, and
• a plunger, over which the O-ring is disposed, having a spring guide and configured to close the valve assembly by urging the O-ring against the sealing surface in response to the spring and pressure from a fluid in the fluid-distribution system.

A system, comprising:

• a structure;
• and
• a fire-suppression system disposed in the structure and including a fluid-distribution system, and
• a fire-suppression sprinkler-head assembly in fluid-communication with the fluid-distribution system and including
• a fire-suppression sprinkler head including a side and grooves formed in, but not through, the side, and an installation-removal region, and
• a fire-suppression water-intake valve
• having a receptacle including
• an inner wall, and
• discontinuous protrusions extending from the inner wall, each of the discontinuous protrusions configured to engage a respective groove of the grooves of the fire-suppression sprinkler head so that the fire-suppression sprinkler head is removable from the receptacle while there is pressurized fluid in the fluid-distribution system with a tool engaging the installation-removal region,
• removable while a portion of the fire-suppression sprinkler-head assembly is attached to the fluid distribution system,
• configured
• to close in response to removing the fire-suppression sprinkler head from the receptacle, and
• to open in response to inserting the fire-suppression sprinkler head into the receptacle, and
• including
• a sealing surface,
• an O-ring,
• a spring, and
• a plunger, over which the O-ring is disposed, having a guide configured to engage the spring and configured to urge the O-ring against the sealing surface in response to the spring and pressure of a fluid in the fire-suppression sprinkler-head assembly.