Catheter placement unit with removable cannulated needle

Claim 1

IN A CATHETER PLACEMENT UNIT, A BASE MEMBER HAVING A LONGITUDINAL GROOVE THEREIN, A CANNULATED NEEDLE WITH THE BLUNT END THEREOF FIRMLY SECURED IN SAID GROOVE AND THE REMAINDER PROJECTING BEYOND THE END OF SAID BASE MEMBER, SAID NEEDLE HAVING A LONGITUDINAL SLOT THEREIN IN THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF, A CATHETER ADVANCER INCLUDING A PASSAGED NIPPLE THERE ON SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID BASE MEMBER, STOP MEANS AT THE END OF SAID BASE MEMBER OPPOSITE SAID NEEDLE TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL SEPARATION OF THE BASE MEMBER AND SAID ADVANCER, A CATHETER IN SAID GROOVE WITH ONE END EXTENDING INTO THE PROJECTING PORTION OF SAID NEEDLE AND THE OTHER END FIRMLY ANCHORED IN THE ADVANCER NIPPLE, A COVER FRICTIONALLY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID BASE MEMBER TO COMPLETELY HOUSE SAID CATHETER AND WITH ONE END OVERLYING THE ADJACENT END OF SAID ADVANCER, AND A NEEDLE HUB MEMBER FRICTIONALLY CONNECTED TO SAID BASE MEMBER OVER THE FIXED END OF SAID NEEDLE AND OVERLYING THE ADJACENT END OF SAID COVER, WHEREBY AS THE ADVANCER IS MOVED ALONG SAID BASE MEMBER TO ADVANCE THE CATHETER THROUGH SAID NEEDLE THE COVER IS SEPARATED FROM THE BASE MEMBER, THE HUB MEMBER IS FREED BY THE COVER, AND AS THE NEEDLE IS WITHDRAWN THE CATHETER PASSES THROUGH THE NEEDLE SLOT, LEAVING ONLY THE ADVANCER ASSOCIATED WITH THE PLACED CATHETER.