Many of the key technologies and design features of punched cards were patented by either Herman Hollerith, The Tabulating Machine Company or later IBM (with each acquiring the patents of the former). Remington Rand worked around this in the 1930s by developing a 90 column card for their tabulating machines. These cards had round punch-holes, and were otherwise identical dimensionally to IBM’s 45-column cards, but instead of 45-columns of twelve rows, were utilised as two sets of 45-columns, each with 6 rows.

In 1950 Remington Rand came to acquire the Eckert–Mauchly Computer Corporation and incorporated their UNIVAC computer line into their on tabulating machine division. By 1954 Remington Rand had formed a full UNIVAC division developing new computers and tabulating machines, often utilising the 90-column card. UNIVAC eventually adopted the 80-column card after coming to an agreement with IBM to allow use of the format. However, the 90-column card persisted in use with many UNIVAC customers for several decades.