fig1 shows a suturing device 11 which generally includes an electric motor 13 , a gear reduction box 15 , an oscillator 17 , a head 19 and a tube 21 for attaching the head to the oscillator . the motor 13 may be , for example , a 12 - volt dc motor which receives electrical current through conductors 23 which lead to a suitable battery or transformer unit ( not shown ). the circuit to the motor 13 can be manually closed by a switch 24 . the circuit remains closed for as long as the switch 24 is depressed but in no event less than the time required for one cycle of operation as described below . the electric motor 13 provides the usual rotary output , the angular velocity of which is reduced by gears 25 ( fig3 ) of the gear reduction box 15 . the gear reduction box 15 may be of conventional construction and , for this reason , is not shown in greater detail herein . the oscillator 17 includes an oscillator housing or oscillator housing section 27 which comprises a main body 29 and an end cap 31 suitably removably attached to the main body as by a plurality of screws 33 ( fig2 ). the main body 29 is in turn suitably attached to the housing for the gear reduction box 15 which is in turn attached to the motor 15 . however , if desired , a single housing could be provided for all of the components of the suturing device 11 . the gear reduction box 15 rotates a first shaft 35 at a relatively slow angular velocity ( fig3 and 4 ). a collar 37 is mounted on and rotates with the shaft 35 and may be considered as a portion of such shaft . the components within the head 19 are driven by a drive shaft 39 ( fig3 ). in order that rotation of the first shaft can oscillate the drive shaft 39 , these two shafts can advantageously be drivingly coupled by a link 41 and an arm 43 . the link 41 is pivotally coupled to the collar 37 in spaced relationship to the axis of rotation of the shaft 35 and to the outer end of the arm 43 . the arm 43 is keyed or otherwise affixed to the drive shaft 39 . accordingly , rotation of the first shaft 35 causes the drive shaft 39 to oscillate about its own longitudinal axis . the head 19 includes a head housing section which , in the embodiment illustrated , includes a main body 45 , an end ring 47 , and an end cap 49 ( fig3 ), all of which are preferably constructed of a suitable rigid plastic material . the main body 45 has an axially extending peripheral flange 51 ( fig3 and 5 ) which extends axially beyond an end face 53 ( fig3 and 10 ) of the main body . the flange 51 extends for approximately 270 degrees as shown in fig5 . the main body 45 also has an axial cylindrical passage 55 which extends completely through the main body . a bobbin 57 containing suturing thread 59 surrounds a central protrusion 61 of the main body 45 and is surrounded by an annular flange 63 formed integrally with the main body . the bobbin 57 is retained in position by the end ring 47 which is mounted on the central protrusion 61 and suitably releasably retained by a friction fit or fasteners . as shown in fig1 the suturing thread 59 from the bobbin 57 passes out through an aperture in the flange 63 and through an aperture 64 ( fig5 ) in the flange 51 . the end cap 49 includes an end wall 65 ( fig3 ) and a peripheral wall 67 ( fig2 and 5 ). a section of the end wall 65 and the peripheral wall 67 has been cut away to form an opening 69 so as to expose portions of the interior of the head 19 . the end cap 49 is suitably releasably retained on the main body 45 as by detents ( not shown ) or a friction fit and can be removed from the main body . one end of the tube 21 is fixedly mounted within the end cap 31 , and the other end of the tube 21 is received within the passage 55 of the main body 45 and suitably frictionally retained therein as by keys 71 ( fig6 ) which cooperate with mating grooves formed in the main body . the drive shaft 39 projects completely through the tube 21 and has a flat - sided lug 73 ( fig3 ) which projects beyond one end of the tube 21 . a suturing needle 75 ( fig3 and 8 ) is coupled to the drive shaft 39 by a coupling 76 which includes a tubular section 77 ( fig3 ) and a radial arm 79 ( fig5 ). the tubular section 77 is rotatably received within the passage 55 of the main body 45 and has a flat - sided recess for receiving and cooperating with the lug 73 to permit the drive shaft 39 to oscillate the coupling 76 . the arm 79 may be integral with the tubular section 77 and extends radially outwardly of the tubular section in close proximity to the end face 53 . one end of the needle 75 is suitably fixed to the outer end of the arm 79 . the needle 75 is curved and lies in close proximity to the flange 51 . the needle 75 and the flange 51 are preferably concentric . the needle 75 has a sharp point 81 at the end thereof remote from the arm 79 and an eye 83 through which the suturing thread 59 can pass . the thread 59 is guided to the eye 83 by a groove 85 ( fig5 and 8 ) in the outer surface of the needle 75 . a loop arm 87 ( fig5 and 9 ) is mounted for movement along a loop arm path by a rod 89 , the opposite ends of which are affixed to the flange 51 . the rod 89 is preferably linear . although various mounting arrangements are possible , in the embodiment illustrated , the loop arm 87 includes a slide 91 which slides along the rod 89 and a segment 93 which is pivotally attached to the slide 91 by a pin 94 for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axis of oscillation of the drive shaft 39 . the segment 93 has a groove 95 forming a foot or tab 97 at the bottom of the loop arm . the oscillating motion of the drive shaft 39 is used to reciprocate the loop arm 87 along the rod 89 . in the embodiment illustrated , this is accomplished by a coupling 99 which , in the embodiment illustrated , is in the form of a plate attached to the arm 79 by a screw 101 ( fig5 and 8 ) and retained against angular displacement relative to the arm by shoulders 103 which are spaced apart to receive a raised portion 105 of the arm 79 . the coupling 99 has an aperture 107 which receives the pin 94 of the loop arm 87 . the aperture 107 is oversized in relation to the pin 94 to provide a lost - motion connection . in the embodiment illustrated , stops 111 and 113 ( fig5 and 11 ) in the form of shoulders are formed in a recessed region 115 ( fig8 and 10 ) of the end face 53 of the main body 45 . the lost - motion connection provided by the pin 94 and the oversized aperture 107 permits the needle 75 to travel over a larger path than the loop arm 87 even though these elements are mechanically tied together by the coupling 99 . in operation , when the switch 24 is depressed , response to the rotary input of the motor 13 oscillates the drive shaft 39 , and the drive shaft 39 oscillates the needle 75 via the coupling 76 . simultaneously , the drive shaft 39 reciprocates the loop arm 87 by means of the coupling 99 . these motions are appropriately timed so that a conventional lock stitch can be obtained . the sequencing of the suturing needle 75 and the loop arm 87 is shown by way of example in fig5 and 11 . initially , the needle 75 is in the retracted position of fig1 with the loop arm 87 engaging the stop 113 and with the needle retracted beyond the loop arm . the initial increment of rotation of the drive shaft 39 moves the needle 75 clockwise from the position of fig1 toward the position of fig5 . during this time , the loop arm 87 does not move because the aperture 107 in the coupling 99 prevents the coupling 99 from driving the loop arm . once the drive shaft 39 has rotated the aperture 107 across the pin 94 , the loop arm and needle 75 are both driven clockwise as shown in fig5 . this allows the needle 75 to travel beyond the loop arm 87 before the loop arm 87 begins its movement . by varying the length of the aperture 107 , the length of travel of the needle 75 when the loop arm 87 is stationary can be adjusted . the return motion is carried out in the same manner in that the aperture 107 initially prevents the coupling 99 from driving the loop arm 87 so that the needle 75 travels a predetermined distance before loop arm movement commences . when used for suturing , the motion of the needle in traveling from the position of fig1 to the position of fig1 forces the suturing thread 59 through the skin . as the return stroke begins , the loop arm 87 , and in particular , the tab 97 thereof retains the thread forced through the skin by the needle so that a loop of thread is retained on the opposite side of the skin from which the needle entered . the ability of the segment 93 of the loop arm 87 to pivot about the pin 94 facilitates pick - up of the thread by the loop arm . the suturing device 11 is moved along the region to be sutured , and the above - described operation is repeated . when the operation of the needle is then repeated , the needle passes through the loop of thread retained by the loop arm 87 , and the loop arm picks up the new segment of thread just presented by the needle 75 . this operation provides a conventional lock stitch and is continued until the incision is completely sutured . each time the switch 24 is closed , the motor 13 rotates a sufficient number of times to drive the needle 75 through one cycle of oscillation . by holding the switch 24 closed , the motor 13 runs continuously . although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been shown and described , many changes , modifications and substitutions may be made by one having ordinary skill in the art without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of this invention .