A drive device for driving a fluid pressure cylinder has an air supply source which supplies air, a switching valve which switches between the supply and discharge of the air to and from the fluid pressure cylinder, bypass piping which connects the head-side cylinder chamber and rod-side cylinder chamber of the fluid pressure cylinder, and a bypass switching valve which switches between the states of flow of air through the bypass piping. Air in the head-side cylinder chamber is supplied to the rod-side cylinder chamber through the bypass piping by setting the bypass switching valve to an open state in a return stroke of the fluid pressure cylinder.