A new magnetostrictive patch array transducer for the generation and detection of torsional waves is developed fur the on-line health monitoring of rotating shafts. Even though the torsional wave is useful in nondestructive evaluation due to its non-dispersive property, a transducer generating torsional waves in rotating shafts has not been developed so far. In this research, a torsional wave transducer using the magnetostrictive effect is newly developed. By bonding an away of magnetostrictive rectangular patches on the outer surface of the shaft at an oblique angle of $45^{circ}$ and encircling the array by a solenoid coil, we have successfully generated and measured torsional waves by the developed transducer. Several experiments were carried out to check the transducer performance.