Self-spotting safety bench press

An apparatus for safely supporting a barbell during weight lifting comprising:

• a) a weight bench having a head end and a lower end;
• b) first and second spaced, elongated uprights positioned on opposite sides of said bench head end, each of said uprights including a vertically adjustable barbell support having a raised position and a lowered position extending toward said bench lower end, and a hydraulic cylinder having a first end connected to said barbell support and a second end connected to said upright;
• c) an accumulator for storing hydraulic fluid under pressure, said accumulator having a housing with a floating piston within the housing dividing the housing into an air compartment and a hydraulic fluid compartment connected by fluid lines to said hydraulic cylinders;
• d) a foot-operated pump connected to said accumulator by an air line to pump air into said accumulator;
• and
• e) an actuator for controlling the flow of fluid from said accumulator to said hydraulic cylinders, whereby flow of fluid into said cylinders urges said supports toward their upright position, said actuator including a valve in said fluid line.

An apparatus for safely supporting a barbell during weight lifting comprising:

• a) a tiltable weight bench for supporting a users head and torso, said bench having a head end and a lower end;
• b) first and second spaced, elongated uprights positioned on opposite sides of said bench head end, each of said uprights including a slotted outer housing, a rod longitudinally aligned within said housing, a sleeve slidable on said rod between a raised position and a lowered position, and a horizontal barbell support attached to said sleeve and extending outwardly from said housing through said slot;
• c) first and second hydraulic cylinders, each cylinder having a first end connected to one of said barbell supports and a second end connected to said upright housing;
• d) an accumulator for storing hydraulic fluid under pressure, said accumulator having a housing with a floating piston within the housing dividing the housing into an air compartment and a hydraulic fluid compartment connected by fluid lines to said hydraulic cylinders;
• e) a foot-operated pump connected to said accumulator by an air line to pump air into said accumulator;
• and
• f) an actuator for controlling the flow of fluid from said accumulator to said hydraulic cylinders, whereby flow of fluid into said cylinders urges said supports toward their upright position, said actuator including a valve in said fluid line and a valve controller operable by said user when said user is positioned on said bench.