Spring actuated billiard cue

In a billiard cue of the type having a handle member with a longitudinal bore, a spring in the bore, a cue stick shaft pressed forwardly by said spring with the tip end portion of the stick projecting from the front end of the handle;

• the combination of a slotted shaft and a manually releasable latch construction to impart different shaft stroking forces in using the cue, comprising:
• a latch member mounted for limited transverse movement in the handle wall having
• a reduced stem portion intersecting the bore and of a length coextensive with the bore diameter for registration therewith in a released condition of the latch member,
• an enlarged catch portion at one end of said stem encased in the handle wall adjacent the bore, and
• resilient means yieldably urging said catch portion into an intersecting relationship with said bore;
• and
• a cue stick shaft slidably fitted in the bore provided with a portion having an elongated through slot extending longitudinally thereof and receiving said stem portion of the latch member,
• said slot having a plurality of enlarged sections spaced therealong for registering and receiving said enlarged catch portion to establish a plurality of retracted shaft positions under various spring pressures,
• said latch having a manual trigger element to release the catch portion from an enlarged slot section and register the reduced stem portion with the bore to effect a stroking movement of said cue stick shaft.