Design and Application of Movable Box-like Fresh Leaf Frame and Elevator

For reducing the labor intensity and cost in tobacco harvesting and curing, a new movable box-like frame for holding tobacco and accompanied leaf transportation, elevating, curing barn loading and unloading devices were designed. The harvested tobacco leaves were loaded into the frame and cured directly dispense with tying, so that leaf breakage or damage caused by leaf tying and repeated loading/unloading was avoided. The semi-automatic elevator simplified curing barn loading operation and reduced labor intensity and cost. Experiments were conducted to compare this system with conventional stick curing and bulk curing, the results showed that: the system was able to accomplish efficient harvesting,loading and curing, the labor cost for 1 kg dried leaves decreased by 56.95% and 23.81% comparing with stick curing and bulk curing, respectively. Comparing with stick curing, the energy cost and labor cost reduced by 0.38 and 1.27 RMB yuan/kg dried leaves, overall cost reduced by 1.65 RMB yuan/kg;comparing with bulk curing, overall cost decreased by 0.28 RMB yuan/kg. This system is convenient in operation and realizes the semi-automation of leaf transportation and curing barn loading.