The principle of an automatic piecing device is presented, and the mathematic model of a specific combined mechanism of the automatic piecing device is analysed. The kinematics and dynamics equation of the combined mechanism is established on the basis of the mathematic model. By the virtual prototype technology, the motion of this mechanism is simulated, whose result is post-processed by ADAMS. To improve the output motion, according to the simulation output and automatic piecing device's practical working condition, the optimisation of the cam mechanism is carried out by finite difference method. The simulation result of this combined mechanism turns out in accordance with its theoretical analysis of virtual prototype in this research, which, therefore, lays a principle basis for the further study of automatic piecing device.