Cladding attachment system

A cladding attachment device for connecting cladding to a vertical support wall, comprising:

• a base comprising a horizontal engaging wall, a back plate, and a base gusset plate, the horizontal engaging wall extending transversely from the back plate and horizontally along the back plate, the engaging wall comprising a plurality of base teeth, the back plate configured to attach to the vertical support wall, and the base gusset plate is transversely connected to the back plate and the engaging wall;
• an attachment member comprising a cladding mount plate, a horizontal receiving wall, an attachment member gusset plate, and a gusset channel;
• the horizontal receiving wall extending from the cladding mount plate and horizontally along the cladding mount plate, the receiving wall comprising a horizontally elongated receiving slot, the elongated receiving slot is transverse to the mount plate, the receiving slot comprises a plurality of opposing receiving teeth, the elongated receiving slot configured to receive the engaging wall and the opposing receiving teeth configured to engage the base teeth to prevent the attachment member from moving in at least one horizontal direction;
• the attachment member gusset plate is transversely connected to the receiving wall and the mount plate, the gusset channel receives the base gusset plate when the engaging wall is received in the receiving slot;
• the attachment member gusset plate and the base gusset plate are located between the back plate and the mounting plate when the engaging wall is received in the receiving slot;
• and,
• the attachment member gusset plate overlaps the base gusset plate when the engaging wall is received in the receiving slot.

A method of attaching cladding to a support wall, comprising the steps of:

• attaching a back plate of a base to the support wall, the base having a horizontal engaging wall extending perpendicularly from the back plate, the engaging wall comprising a plurality of base teeth on opposite sides of the engaging wall;
• aligning vertically a horizontally elongated receiving channel of a receiving wall of an attachment member with the engaging wall;
• aligning an attachment member gusset channel of the attachment member with a base gusset plate of the base, the base gusset plate is connected to the back plate and the engaging wall, the attachment member gusset channel intersecting the receiving channel;
• moving the elongated receiving channel over the receiving wall and the attachment member gusset channel over the base gusset plate and overlapping the base gusset plate with the attachment member gusset plate;
• engaging a plurality of receiving teeth on opposite sides of the elongated receiving channel with the plurality of base teeth of the receiving wall to prevent the attachment member from moving in an at least one first horizontal direction opposite the base;
• holding an insulation panel adjacent the support wall with a mount plate of the attachment member, the mount plate is perpendicular to the receiving channel, an attachment member gusset plate connected to the mount plate and the engaging wall;
• attaching cladding to the mount plate of the attachment member;
• and
• supporting a vertical load of the cladding, at least in part, with the attachment member gusset plate and the base guest plate between the mount plate and the back plate.