Exercise bench safety device

Claim 1

In combination, a bench for supporting an exerciser lying on his back for bench press exercises with a bar bell, said bench having opposed sides and front and rear ends, and means controllable by an exerciser for automatically elevating the bar bell independently of lifting effort by the exerciser; said elevating means comprising a vertical frame adjacent the front end of said bench, vertically moveable arm means carried by said frame and extending in the direction of the rear end of said bench a distance sufficient to intersect the normal path of movement of a bar bell being utilized by an exerciser lying on said bench, power means having an operative connection with said arm means for raising the arm means from a predetermined lowered position wherein the arms are clear of the normal path of movement of a bar bell during exercising to an elevated position clear above the body of an exerciser, control means selectively operable by a body part of an exerciser for effecting operation of said power means to raise said arm means from said lowered position into engagement with a bar bell currently in use by an exerciser, said power means having the capacity to exert an upward force on said arm means which is in excess of a downward force exerted by the weight of a bar bell engaged by said arm means, means for stopping operation of said power means when said arm means arrives at said elevated position, and means for retaining said arm means in said elevated position for at least sufficient time to enable an exerciser to move clear of the path of movement of said arm means.