Abstract: A direct current dynamoelectric machine is disclosed including plural main poles on a field frame with a wound armature rotatably mounted therein. The main poles utilize high-strength permanent magnets which are thick enough to supply a magnetic field, but having means at an edge portion thereof (such as at the trailing edge on a D.C. motor) for increasing the air gap towards that edge to resist demagnetization resulting from armature reaction. Particularly, the permanent magnets of the main poles include a concentric portion of constant thickness and a flared portion of the same constant thickness, wherein the flared portion joins the concentric arc portion in a tangential manner.