Design and testing of a liftable chassis for rice harvester

doi:10.12398/j.issn.2096-7217.2025.01.006

Abstract

Abstract:

During the operation of the rice combine harvester， the fuselage tilts due to the tilt and unevenness of the ground affect its maneuverability and operational reliability. Aiming at the problem of leveling due to the tilt of the field surface， this research developed an innovative dual-parallelogram chassis lifting mechanism for rice harvesters designed a hydraulic system to adjust the chassis height by extending the cylinder. Using Adams simulation software， a detailed model of the lifting chassis was constructed to analyze its performance， revealing a direct correlation between the hydraulic cylinder extension and chassis elevation. Notably， the mechanism could achieve leveling on slopes with inclination angles of up to 7.5°. Comprehensive evaluations of the liftable chassis system were conducted under both static and dynamic conditions. In the static tests， the system exhibited the capacity for comprehensive or unilateral auto-leveling contingent upon the tilt， with leveling times and angular variations confined to 3.6 s and ±0.4°， respectively. In dynamic tests conducted on sloped fields and paddy soils， the system reduced post-leveling mean tilt angles and standard deviations remained below 1.2° and 0.6°， respectively. These results demonstrated a substantial improvement in the stability and reliability of the chassis during operations. This research provides valuable insights into the design and optimization of automatic leveling mechanisms and structural innovations for harvester chassis.

Key words: rice combine harvester, chassis lifting mechanism, hydraulic leveling, leveling time

CLC Number:

S225.3

YANG Ke, LI Ju, CHEN Yu, LI Hao, AO Yu, LEI Xiaolong. Design and testing of a liftable chassis for rice harvester[J]. Journal of Intelligent Agricultural Mechanization, 2025, 6(1): 59-70.

Figures/Tables 20

Figure 1 Structure of the lifting chassis1. Rear lifting arm　2. Middle beam　3. Chassis frame　4. Hydraulic cylinder　5. Connecting rod　6. Limit block　7. Front swing arm8. Front lifting arm　9. Front hinge support　10. Traveling device11. Splined shaft　12. Rear swing arm　13. Rear hinge support

Figure 2 Liftable chassis structure schematic diagram Table 1　Lifting mechanism parts parameters

Figure 3 Analysis of tilt angle

Figure 4 Schematic diagram of chassis rotation coordinates

Figure 5 Lateral tilt centroid analysis

Figure 6 Lifting chassis model

Figure 7 The structure of the hydraulic control system

Figure 8 Hydraulic control schematic diagram.1. Hydraulic cylinder　2. Magnetic displacement sensor 3. Two-way balancing valve　4. Hydraulic lock （one-way valve） 5. Proportional directional valve　6. Shock-resistant pressure gauge 7. Pressure measuring hose　8. Pressure measuring joint 9. Pressure sensor　10. High-pressure filter

Figure 9 Hydraulic system interface

Figure 10 Rice harvester with integrated lifting system

Figure 11 Hydraulic cylinder extension length

Figure 12 Relationship between chassis inclination angle and hydraulic cylinder extension length

Figure 13 Chassis lateral tilt angle

Figure 14 Lifting height and force of lifting chassis

Figure 15 Center of mass height， velocity and acceleration

Figure 16 Tilt statue in the static test

Figure 17 Relationship between extension length of hydraulic cylinder， rotation angle and lifting height

Figure 18 Chassis lateral tilt angle

Figure 19 Automatic leveling test of pothole fields

Figure 20 Automatic leveling of field tests at different travelling speeds Table 2　Field test results

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