Foldable exercise bench

A foldable exercise bench apparatus, comprising

• a stationary frame;
• an exercise bench pivotally mounted on the frame for movement between a retracted, generally upright storage position and at least one deployed position for supporting a person during exercise, the bench having opposite first and second ends;
• a support foot adjacent the first end of the bench having an upper end pivotally mounted relative to the bench for rotation between a first, storage position extending generally alongside the bench when the bench is in the upright, storage position, and a second, support position in which the support foot extends at an angle to the bench and engages the floor to support the bench in the deployed position;
• and
• a pivotal linkage between the support foot and frame for automatically pivoting the support foot from the second position to the first, storage position when the bench is moved into the upright, storage position, wherein the pivotal linkage comprises a four-bar linkage having a first bar pivoted at one end to the frame and at the other end to the upper end of the support foot, and a second bar pivoted to the frame at a location spaced from the first bar, and pivoted to the support foot at a location spaced from the upper end;
• the bench and support foot each being freely movable from the deployed and storage positions to the storage and first positions, respectively, by lifting the bench, the bench support foot and pivotal linkage all being oriented at a non-vertical, rearwardly inclined angle when said exercise bench is in said storage position, and said support foot having a free end which rests on the floor below the pivot connection between said second bar and said foot support.