Centerless roll grinding machine with reduced radial variation errors

A centerless roll grinding machine comprising:

• a frame that extends laterally and longitudinally to be positioned under a generally cylindrical work roll having a narrower neck on each longitudinal end;
• a grinding wheel assembly comprising a grinding wheel housing received on a first lateral portion of the frame for longitudinal and lateral movement and comprising a grinding wheel presented on a second side of the grinding wheel housing that is opposite to the first side, the frame comprising a vertical support extending from a second lateral portion;
• a lateral support received by the vertical support of the frame and extending horizontally in the first direction to contact the second side of one neck of the work roll;
• a lower support received by and extending generally upwardly from the frame displaced in the first lateral direction from a geometric center of the neck of the work roll to cooperate with the lateral support to provide a V-channel support to hold the work roll for rotation about a longitudinal axis;
• and
• the lateral support comprising a horizontal ram and a lateral support device, the lateral support device comprising more than one bearing pad that are radially spaced along a side of the neck in opposition to the grinding wheel, each pair of bearing pads pivotally attached to a respective first tier averaging link that is pivotally coupled to the horizontal ram to reduce horizontal displacements of the work roll caused by a geometric error in the neck.