Binding post

Examples of binding posts used during the 19th century are telegraph key and blasting machine devices.

During the late 1940s, General Radio created a new binding post that had a jack in a cap.

[1][2][3] Today it is commonly known as a "five-way" or "universal" binding post, which allows many types of connection methods: Even so-called isolated binding posts are typically not sufficiently isolated to protect users from coming into contact with their metal parts carrying voltage.

On several types of equipment it has been becoming common to no longer use the traditional binding posts, but safety banana jacks.

In order to permit the use of double banana plugs, the most common distance between the centers of the plugs should be 3⁄4 inch (19 mm), which originated on General Radio test equipment during the 1920s, however 3⁄4 inch is not the only spacing.

A binding post, colored red, which usually indicates a positive terminal.
A binding post, colored red, which usually indicates a positive terminal.
Two insulated, color-coded binding posts at the bottom center of a historical signal generator; modern devices often have bandwidths exceeding the utility of such connectors
Adapter between five-way binding posts and a male BNC connector
Uninsulated binding posts on a loudspeaker connected to banana plugs
Small black binding posts of an old loudspeaker driver are visible. These binding posts are not compatible with banana plugs of any size. Instead they were endowed with small solder contacts.
An adjustable switched-mode power supply for laboratory use with three safety banana jacks instead of binding posts