Security clutch

A security clutch for a jewelry post with a circumferential groove, comprising:

• a housing including a top plate and a bottom plate and a wall extending therebetween;
• said housing defining a post receiving aperture extending through said top plate and said bottom plate;
• said wall defining an access port therethrough;
• a spring member disposed in said housing and between said top plate and said bottom plate;
• said spring member including two opposing free ends;
• said free ends being in communication with said wall of said housing;
• a U-shaped locking member;
• said U-shaped locking member including a bottom portion connected to said spring member midway between said two opposing free ends of said spring member;
• said U-shaped locking member further defining a locking notch and two bearing surfaces;
• a trigger disposed in said housing and between said top plate and said bottom plate and in the same plane as said U-shaped locking member;
• said trigger including a button and a contact plate with a leading bearing edge;
• said button and said contact plate being connected to one another;
• said button of said trigger extending out from said housing through said access port;
• said contact plate residing completely within said wall and between said top plate and said bottom plate;
• said leading bearing edge of said contact plate being in spring-biased communication with said two bearing surfaces of said spring member;
• and
• said U-shaped locking member being movable, by depression of said button against the biasing force of said spring member, from a resting locked position with said U-shaped locking member partially blocking said post receiving aperture and residing within said circumferential groove of said jewelry post, thereby securing said jewelry post relative to said housing, to an unlocked position with said U-shaped locking member being clear of said post receiving aperture, thereby permitting free passage of said jewelry post within said post receiving aperture.