In order to study the influence of relative setting position between reciprocating cutter and nip point of gripping chains and the growth direction of corn ears on corn harvesting performance, a new gripping device of corn combine harvesting of corn stalk and ears in the crampingcuttingtransporting type was designed. A rice special agricultural chain was used to replace the gathering chain and gripping chain of gripping device in original corn combine harvester. The theory of dividing, dialing and gripping corn stalk was analyzed. Recurdyn software was employed to build a rigidflexible system with corn stalk as flexible part and cuttinggrapping device as rigid element. The effect of five horizontal distances between reciprocating cutter and nip point of gripping chains and three growth directions of corn ear on motion of 〖JP3〗ear growth point were simulated. The five distances were -70mm, -35mm, 0mm, 35mm and 70mm,〖JP〗 respectively, and the three directions were separately machine forwarding direction, opposite and vertical to forward directions. The simulation results showed that both the growth direction of corn ears and relative distance had effect on motion of corn plants. When the horizontal distance was -70mm and -35mm, corn plants were cut with no cramping, they would incline to the direction of corn ear growing; when the distance was 0mm, 35mm and 70mm, corn plants were cut with cramping and they would move with gripping chains. A corn combine harvester for stalk and ears was designed and manufactured to test the performance of cutting and gripping device with horizontal distance of -70mm and -35mm in the field. Field tests were made at machine working speed of 1.2m/s and gripping chain speed of 1.39m/s. The results indicated that when the horizontal position of cutter relative to the nip point of grip chains was -70mm, the total plant loss was 36.2%, while it was 3.3% with the position of 35mm. This verified that cutting with gripping could greatly reduce the grain harvesting loss, and it proved that the simulation analysis was reasonable and reliable. This study illustrated corn combine harvester for stalk and ears in the crampingcuttingtransporting type needed to cut with gripping and provided a basis for design of corn combine in this type.