In the early-mid 1950s the Bert Goodrich Gym in Hollywood, Ca. had a pipe rack vertical press machine. The actor Bill Smith hogged it all the time. So it became known as "Smith's Machine". Bill went over to Gironda's Gym and Vince built a similar pipe rack "Smith Machine". From there it spread from coast to coast and others refined it with patents.
The pic on page one here of the pipe rack machine is with Bill Smith pressing it.
I was there.