Patent 7189144 was granted and assigned to NSK Ltd. on March, 2007 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A centerless grinding apparatus (10) includes an outer diameter surface grinding wheel (11) for grinding the outer diameter surface of a work (1) of a substantially cylindrical shape, a regulating wheel (12) for supporting the outer diameter surface of the work (1) in conjunction with the outer diameter surface grinding wheel (11) and an end surface grinding wheel (21) for grinding the end surface of the work (1). The end surface grinding wheel (21) grinds the end surface of the work (1) while the outer diameter surface grinding wheel (11) grinds the outer diameter surface of the work (1) in a state that the work (1) is disposed between the outer diameter surface grinding wheel (11) and the regulating wheel (12).