Founded in 1910, the company has been responsible for many of the inventions that established modern lubrication practices in automotive maintenance and industry.

After five years with the Union Pacific Railroad in Nebraska, Frank Barks went to work for the Commonwealth Steel Company in Granite City, Illinois, where his cousin, Clarence L. Howard, was president.

Two years later, in January 1910, they recruited several investors and formed the Steel Roof Truss Company in Valley Park, Missouri.

Expanding their operation, they began making prefabricated steel buildings, barns and cotton gin structures.

Continued emphasis on improving productivity in the mines led to the development of the first automatic, power-driven grease gun to be marketed commercially.

Used for lubricating the mine cars, the unit included a 400 Lb pressurized tank, one or more hoses and valves that automatically dispensed a predetermined amount of grease.

(Inventions) As automobile ownership became more prevalent, demand for service stations to do routine maintenance on vehicles was soaring.

Lubrication had become their primary focus, marketing a wide range of products to car dealers and service stations through a network of distributors called jobbers.

Various hand-held grease guns, couplers and other accessories were developed to address a wide range of applications.

Despite the pressures of a long-term suit, the company developed the first drum pump for transferring lubricants from the original refinery containers.

Floor mounted reels were adapted to facilitate the dispensing of crankcase oil and were eventually incorporated into lubrication cabinets.

The company began producing grease guns and fittings for the Quartermaster Corps and tooling for the production of small caliber ammunition.

In addition, the company manufactured 20 mm high-explosive projectiles used in fighter planes (Lincoln Production War Bulletin) and boosters for 155 and 105 artillery pieces.

The company's relationship with the armed forces was helped by an ex-employee who became a procurement officer serving in the Pentagon.

The government issued a blanket deferment for all workers – around 1,000 people – because of Lincoln's war plant status.

Designed by Lincoln's chief of Engineering, Lutwin Rotter, the Centro-Matic system used a pump to distribute lubricant to a number of injectors.

Automated lubrication reduced maintenance costs for many types of manufacturing operations and became very important in the mining sector.

Lincoln Flex-O-Matic automatic air coupling was once used as an improved solution to a girl's prosthetic leg so she could easily change from shoes to sneakers.

The current Series 20 lubricant pumps, still popular with automotive markets and industrial customers, has changed little since these innovations.

One outcome of attempting to pump heavier materials was that seals would fail and the lubricant would leak into the air motor.

Also, the new design allowed for easier repairs of the pump or the packings which were being "eaten away" by new materials and chemistry affecting the industry.

written by Rotter called "A Plea for Uniformity in the Packaging of Lubricating Greases"[2] he identifies the problems associated with the variations of pail and drum sizes and suggests a standard approach.

The patent lists Victor Klein as the inventor, but Rudy Schneller was instrumental in the unit's design, receiving a $3,500 bonus (six months salary) for his efforts.

The unit sold for $300 (Cerwinski) The Model 65 played only 33+1⁄3 rpm and was marketed as a Lincoln Fisher Record Changer.

The cost and complexity of the unit eventually led to the Fisher Lincoln Record Changer's demise.

First used for automobiles, and later agricultural equipment, the Multi-Luber was an onboard lubrication device that supplied grease to critical bearings during operation.

Lincoln patented the first lever grease gun to work with a full stroke operation called the Model 1242.

Over the years, Lincoln developed and sold many types of non-lubrication equipment for automotive professionals including wheel-balancing equipment, timing devices, spark plug testers, battery testers, car lifts, compressors and fuel injection systems.

Even with more recent acquisitions by parent companies, lubrication remains the primary product offering under the Lincoln brand.