Abstract: A cushioning apparatus for applying a blank-holding force to a pressure member to hold a blank on a press, through hydraulic cylinders on a cushion platen biased by a force generating device toward the pressure member, and cushion pins linked with the cylinders and supporting the pressure member, the blank-holding force being based on a biasing force generated by the force generating device, and controllable by a controller through a flow regulator provided in a discharge line for discharging the fluid from the cylinders, such that the controller controls the flow regulator to discharge the fluid from the cylinders during a pressing action on the blank by upper and lower dies, for thereby controlling the cylinder pressure according to a predetermined pattern of change in the pressure in relation to a downward movement of the upper die. The hydraulic cylinders may be classified into two or more groups connected to mutually independent discharge lines.